Over the last few years, as more people are heading back home to post-genocide Rwanda; the country’s music scene seems to be entering a new phase. While some female singers are embracing their Rwandese roots with a more traditional style of music, others are navigating a more eclectic sound, often influenced by their travels around the world.
Twenty-six years after the genocide that claimed the lives of more than 800,000 people, Rwanda is a nation still healing, but it’s also transforming through more progressive ideals aimed at looking beyond the country’s bitter history.
Rwandese women, in particular, are shedding light on a haunting past, while making new history by spreading their musical talents around the world.
With a parliament that has the highest proportion of women in the world (61% in the lower house, to be exact), Rwanda is setting examples for other nations on the continent in more ways than one, and this extends to the women in its vibrant musical scene who are undoubtedly bringing new life to central African music as a whole.
Keep reading for a list of five Rwandese female singers to keep your eyes and ears open to!
1. Vestine and Dorcas
Gospel singer-duo, Vestine and Dorcas, debuted with “Nahawe Ijambo”, which has garnered over 1.3 million views on YouTube in the short months since its release. The music video features both Vestine Ishimwe and Dorcas Kamikazi on the earthy fields of Rwanda, reviving this style of music to look cool even to the millennial viewer.
Their heavenly vocals are bringing Gospel music back to life with a refreshing sound, which has attracted attention across the globe, ever since the duo dropped the single last November. We look forward to seeing what else these two young women have in store.
2. Ariel Wayz
Nineteen -year-old Ariel Wayz has been regarded as one of the most gifted singers in Rwanda, ever since she began performing alongside her former band Symphony.
Wayz has described her songs as speaking to her own life experiences, with references to love, freedom and female liberation. The singer hails from Rubavu in the Western Province and comes from a musical family — her mother used to sing in Orchestre Ingeri back in the ‘90s.
Wayz is known as the singer with a “golden voice” thanks to her ability to sing in different languages. She’s easily secured her title as an artist to watch this year.
3. Teta Diana
Born in Kenya to Rwandan parents, Teta Diana was raised in Uganda, before returning back home to Rwanda and establishing her music career.
Diana’s music is a fusion of folk, jazz and afro-pop that can be heard on her debut 12-track album Iwanyu (“home” in Kinyarwanda), which explores the concept of belonging.
Diana’s track “See Me” depicts her soulful tonality, which celebrates a familiar sound that lives at the foundation of traditional Rwandan music. The artist was touring in Europe last year, on a mission to take Iwanyu beyond Rwanda’s borders.
The singer now resides in Sweden, but was initially scouted during “igitaramo”, a cultural night at Hôtel des Milles Collines in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.
Diana released her latest song “Agashinge” at the end of last year and it has already gained over 100,000 views on YouTube. It’s set to become one of the standout singles in her upcoming EP.4. Ineza
Jazz singer Ineza Kerschkamp, who incorporates Western influences into her soul music, was featured in “Bandcamp’s Best Soul” roundup in 2018 for her debut EP Where Are You From.
A composer in her own right, Ineza’s music is a mix of Jazz and Neo-soul, which explores self-identity, discovery and healing. It’s a reflection of the singer’s own identity, as she was born in Rwanda, but raised in Belgium by her adoptive parents.
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5. Jennifer Kamikazi
Indie-folk singer and songwriter Jennifer Kamikazi is stimulating, familiar and soothing all rolled into one. Moving from Rwanda to London, Kamikazi (which translates to “little queen” in Kinyarwanda) has taken folk music to an unexpected level with influences from Hip-hop, R&B and Grime music.
The artist has made a name for herself with her two EPs, Wildflower and Wander in Wonder. Her thoughtful songwriting and ethereal vocals have earned her over a million streams on various streaming platforms.
Her latest track “Black Skin” coincides with The Black Lives Matter movement, and explores Black beauty and growing up in a society with Eurocentric beauty standards. According to the artist, a portion of the proceeds made from the single will be donated to Barking and Dagenham Racial Equality Council, where Kamikazi grew up, to help support victims of racial abuse.