Aimé Uwimana is a gospel artiste, whose songs, for over 20 years, have touched the lives of many Rwandans. Today, he will be staging the Hari Amashimwe live concert, which is expected to be one of the biggest gospel shows in the country. He had a chat with Sunday Magazine’s Sharon Kantengwa about his musical journey and experience. Take us back to when you began your music journey. How can you describe your starting point? Back in 1994, I gave my life to Christ and that was when my musical talent was unlocked. I began my life in church. Music then became a passion when I started doing it, and I was convinced to do it full time because I was still young and had good mentors around me. I thank God for that. What inspired you to start a music career? God is the giver of all gifts. He put passion and the love for music in my heart. When I started attending church services, I found myself sitting close to choirs and musicians most of the time. That’s how I got inspired. How can you describe your experience? I have had an interesting experience along the way. Growing my music from what it was and keeping the relevancy in the music industry for more than 20 years to the level it is today requires time, love, resources and passion for what I do. God has been with me through it all. As a gospel artiste, what are some of the challenges that you face as a musician? Financial stability and capacity in terms of music have been the main challenges for me. We all face challenges at some point, but then when you do what you love the most, challenges become opportunities that take you on a higher level. How are you able to market your music to the secular audience? I market my music to the secular audience through normal media channels, radios and televisions, Youtube as well as other social media platforms. I believe most of those we cannot meet in the concerts, can be met through the above channels. Which artistes inspire you musically? I have a couple of them but I should mention that Appolinnaire Habonimana has been the first and he still holds that position. What has your experience in the musical journey taught you? I see music as technology. There is growth and because I am into Gospel, my music becomes more relational because in God, life is more relational than just singing. You will be staging a mega concert soon. Tell us about it and what should fans expect? This comes back to Jesus being at the center of what we do. My prayer is that people will experience the presence of God like never before. Looking at all the songs that are on the play list, I believe there will be God’s visitation and that is what the church of Christ should expect. What are some of the other projects that are in the pipeline? Different projects are on the way, of course they are music related. I have the hymns songs part three, that will also be sold at the concert. Many more will also be unveiled soon.
