On Tuesday, May 4, Rwanda’s acclaimed R&B singer and songwriter, Bruce Melodie signed a 3-year deal worth Rwf150 million as the brand ambassador of the ultra-modern facility, Kigali Arena. The deal followed another one he signed with Brok Beer worth Rwf50 million. The endorsement deals affirm the “Bado” singer’s hardworking nature, which has seen him release hit after hit in the last couple of years and in doing so, attracting suitors willing to pay handsomely for his services. Bruce Melodie’s successes signify the potential of Rwanda’s budding creative industry which still has immense benefits for stakeholders to tap into. It also confirms that only the hardworking ones will be able to take advantage of what is there to reap. While some artistes were lamenting about the effects of Covid-19, others saw an opportunity to work even harder and digitize their work, putting most of it online for increased visibility. This applies to Bruce Melodie particularly. He never stopped working regardless of the pandemic, releasing songs such as “Henzapu” and “Saa Moya”, which captivated many and now he is repeating the fruits of his efforts. It also goes to show that with proper management, artistes can monetise their platform and grow their brands as we have seen other artistes in the region like Diamond Platnumz do. The troubles in The Mane record label in the past few weeks have also led to debates as to whether the creative industry has a bright future but Bruce Melodie’s record-breaking deal proves otherwise. Many pundits who weighed in on the troubles of The Mane attributed them to mismanagement and poor decision making, which led to the label losing its brand names such as Queen Cha and Marina. These two scenarios show that there is a lot of untapped potential which can be maximised if the players put in an effort.
