Famed singer, Mani Martin has been selected to participate in the Bayimba International Festival in Uganda. He is the only Rwandan who will partake in the festival.The 6th edition of the Bayimba International Festival of the Arts is scheduled to start in Jinja, Uganda next month. It provides a platform for reknown and upcoming artists from Uganda, the African continent and beyond to showcase their artistic talent to an ever increasing and varied public.Speaking to The New Times yesterday, Mani Martin said that his attendance will not only give him a chance to interact with different musicians, but it is an opportunity for him to take the Rwandan music beyond borders.“In such a concert, I believe that our music will be heard and I will represent other musicians the best way I can in making sure that our music gets beyond our boarders,” he said.Rwandan born, performing artiste, vocalist, song writer and actor Mani, is currently emerging as one of Rwanda’s strongest live performing acts identified with Afro Soul mixed with traditional music, and sings in Kinyarwanda his mother tongue, Kiswahili, English and French.Mani however, is no newcomer to the music scene. He has performed at festivals and different events with international artistes like Ismael lo Lokua Kanza, Vieux Farka toure, Femi Nkuti and Might Popo.He has already produced four albums; Isaha ya 9, Icyo dupfana kiruta icyo dupfa, Intero y’amahoro and My destiny.About Mani MartinBorn in Rwanda in 1988, Mani Martin, real name Maniraruta Martin, spent his childhood and school days in his small village Ntura in Rusizi district, Western Province, where his talent was discovered by his own teacher during a music lesson. He attended CISK secondary school. His talent continued to blossom at a young age, where he recorded 12 songs at the age 11. He grew up as a vocal trainer and he trained many choirs and performed at community and youth functions.The song Urukumbuzi is his first song which brought him to the limelight. He was the artiste of the year, 2006.He was further nominated as best male artist at Pam Awards in Uganda in 2007. Mani was honored with the award for Best Gospel Artist of the Year 2008 in Salax awards.As he identified himself as an ambassador of peace through his music, Mani has performed for peace keepers for the UN mission (UNAMID) in Darfur, Sudan in 2012 and at the AMANI FESTIVAL in D.R Congo (Goma).In 2012, Mani Martin won the award for Best Traditional Artist of the Year in Salax awards.It should also be noted that Mani Martin was the first Rwandan artiste to perform in one of the biggest African Music Festivals, Sauti Za Busara in Zanzibar during its 10th anniversary in 2013.The Bayimba Cultural Foundation was set up to uplift arts and culture in Uganda. Ever since it began in 2008, the Bayimba International Festival of the Arts has put a particular emphasis on contributing towards the development of the arts sector.
