Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu MFR, known professionally as Burna Boy is set to headline the Trace Awards and Festival set for October 21 in Kigali.
The awards will celebrate genres such as Afrobeats, dancehall, hip hop, mbalax, amapiano, zouk, kizomba, genge, coupé décalé, bongo flava, soukous, gospel, rap, rai, kompa, R&B and rumba.
Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at BK Arena, organizers revealed that the 3-day events will feature an array of activities highlighting Rwanda and Africa’s creative and cultural scene with a star studded guest of 50 artists expected to perform.
“This is a great platform for collaboration and visibility for the creative industry in Rwanda and Africa.” Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Head of Tourism and Conservation,Ariella Kageruka.
Competing in 22 award categories are platinum-selling artists from more than 30 countries in Africa, South America, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and Europe.
The winners’ trophy was designed by acclaimed Congolese sculptor and designer Dora Prevost.
Leading the nominees are West African artists, particularly Nigerian musicians, who underscore the global popularity of Afrobeats with more than 40 nominations in total – including multiple nods for Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Davido, WizKid, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Fireboy DML and Rema.
Burna Boy is among the top nominated artists with four nods for the Trace Awards, including Best Collab, Best Male Artiste, Best Song, and Best Album of the Year.
He is a two time BET Award winner (2019 and 2021 for Best International Act has a potpourri of hits that have seen him seamlessly glide through multiple genres, ground-breaking sold-out shows and albums.
Produced in 2022, his Yawa Dey, a music album, has already been credited for taking African music to another level and won a Grammy.
Twice as Tall, is the fifth studio album by Nigerian singer Burna Boy. It was released on August 14, 2020, at the 63rd ceremony of the Grammy Awards, the album won Best Global Music Album.
Other albums include Love, Damini, his sixth album which became the highest debut of an Africa album on the Billboard 200 chart.
Considered the most expensive artist to book for the show, in Kenya for instancet his performance fee was reported to be at $500,000 as of 2022 on top of booking his 13-seater challenger jet.
This will be the second time the Nigerian will be performing in Rwanda. His last performance in Kigali was March 2019 under the ‘Burna Boy Xperience concert which attracted over 3,700 people at Ntare Conference Arena.
Rwanda made the list with; riel Wayz, Bruce Melodie, Bwiza, Chriss Eazy,and Kenny Sol. Veying of Best Artist in Rwanda.
The Trace global powerhouse and Afro music taskmaster marks its 20th anniversary this year. Launched in 2003, the event will be broadcast live to some 500 million people in 190 countries.
Tickets are already up for sale at https://trace.plus/en/festival/
