Music: Trace Awards & Festival to be held in Rwanda
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the group Trace, a world power in the world of music and creator of tastes for Afro music, a very first awards ceremony named “Trace Awards & Festival” is going to be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from Friday 20 to Saturday 21 October 2023.
This was announced during a press conference held this Thursday, June 1, 2023 at BK Arena. This grand event will be preceded by a 2-day cultural festival designed to entertain and engage music makers and fans.
It will include a spectacular 3-hour live televised music ceremony (October 21, 2023), celebrating not only the creativity, freshness and advancement of music but also the African-inspired culture broadcast across the world.
Focusing on musicians, content creators, entrepreneurs and filmmakers from across Africa and the African Diaspora, the Trace Awards & Festival will take place in partnership with Visit Rwanda and QA Venue Solutions Rwanda, the management company BK Arena sites.
The largest indoor arena in East Africa, the BK Arena, expects to host between 7,500 and 10,000 music fans, musicians, opinion makers, style makers and influencers from Africa and around the world.
The awards will recognize a wide range of musical genres ranging from Afrobeat to Dancehall, Afro-pop, Mbalax, Amapiano, Zouk, Kizomba, Genge, Coupé Décalé, Bongo Flava, Soukous, Gospel, Rap, Kompa, R&B and Rumba, all saluting a few artists in a number of cultural/lifestyle categories.
Olivier Laouchez, co-founder and executive president of Trace, justified the organization of this event.
“Since its very first day, Trace has been promoting and showcasing the diversity and power of urban Afro culture. There is no better way to celebrate our twentieth anniversary than with this exciting new musical and cultural franchise,” he said.
“The Trace Awards are our way of celebrating the artistry, vision and impact of musicians and others responsible for the urban cultural landscape with an extraordinary ceremony that highlights and rewards their success and influence both in Africa and on the world stage. ” he added.
Janet Karemera, Director General of the Rwanda Convention Bureau, did not hide her feelings of joy for the celebration of this musical festival in Kigali during this year.
“We are delighted to be hosting the first ever Trace Awards in Rwanda. We look forward to hosting this global celebration of African culture in our beautiful country, promoting Rwanda as a destination for cultural tourism experiences and hosting world-class events like this,” a- she indicated.
“Hosting the event in Rwanda will be a great opportunity for our growing creative industry to showcase its diverse creativity, talent and rich Rwandan cultural heritage,” she added.
The campaign will also include several preparation of events, an awards tour, parties and screenings in Africa, Europe, USA, UK, Brazil, Indian Ocean and the Caribbean.
Aimed at lovers of African and Afro-inspired music and culture around the world, the Trace Awards will be broadcast live on Trace channels in more than 180 countries around the world. The prizes will also be broadcast on Trace’s partner televisions and satellite channels around the world.
Clementine NYIRANGARUYE