A day at the academy with Rwanda’s Alpha

A few miles outside Nairobi City in Ruaraka, at the Tusker Project Fame Academy, not just a great music icon of the new generation is in the making, but a great personality as well! Being in Nairobi, I decided to pay a courtesy call on Alpha Rwirangira, the sole remaining Rwandan contestant to find out from him what he has in store for thousands of people who have been impressed with his talent and kept voting for him. Having intercepted his dancing session, he looked very tired but calm. The 23 year old has not only managed to gain popularity and support from back home, but in Kenya it is more of euphoria when he performs. But in his own words, who is this Alpha and what does he believe in? “I know that people love being stars but what would surprise you is that I am so down to earth and take every standing ovation I get from the fans just like another blessing from God,” he tells me. He says that for now, he believes he is already a winner. He however was quick to mention that he knows how much competition he is up against in the house but that all in all, he has a plan. Alpha is already in the finals slated for next weekend and though four contestants will be in the finale, he confides in me that whichever way, he plans to use the best he has learned so far, be it in the house or out. “I love kids so much and I am already planning to meet the First Lady, Mrs Jeannette Kagame, to work with Imbuto Foundation to promote young children’s musical ambitions,” he said. “If I win though, I will concentrate on the recording contract and develop my music career to another level.” In the run up to the finals, two of his fellow compatriots were evicted from the house and Alpha learned from them. “Christian is such a great personality but his has always been a free man. I know him for so many years and if given an opportunity, he has so much potential. As for Nina, I voted her out not because she was bad but because I believe in fairness and that moment, Illuminata had stolen the show from her.” Last weekend, Alpha performed his own composition, a blend of Kinyarwanda, Swahili and English entitled We are One which saw him cement his place as a power to reckon with in the house. He garnered a record number of votes from the public that gave him immunity from this week’s eviction. “Although I am Rwandan, my mother is Tanzanian and I see myself more of an African. I hate relating to origin even though I am very proud of where I come from,” he says, adding that “borders should not be a factor to divide people and that why I will advocate for peace as an artist.” This years Tusker Project Fame 3 academy winner is all set for a prize galore harvest following the announcement of the prize package. In the enhanced prize package announced by East Africa Breweries Limited Marketing Director Debra Mallowah, the Tusker Project Fame 3 Winner will this year walk away Kshs 5million (About 35 million Rwandan Francs) richer not to mention a one year recording contract with South Africa’s Gallo Records. For the first time in the Tusker Project Fame’s history, all the top three finalists will enjoy recording deals following a deal sealed with Sound Africa a Kenyan recording house to produce the runner-up and the second runner-up finalists. Leading unisex beauty house, Kymms Before and After has also extended a more than Kshs 384,000 sponsorship for the Tusker Project Fame 3 initiative and will be providing health, hair and beauty services to all the contestants. Ends