Support for unknown Burundian singers

Aimé Mugabonihera, a Burundian singer living in USA, has recently returned to his home country. The objective of his visit, after 12 years in the diaspora, is to help unknown Burundian musicians to improve their performance.–By Lorraine Josiane Manishatse

Aimé Mugabonihera: “Burundian musicians should join efforts so that the strong can help weak improve their performance.” ©Iwacu

“Burundian musicians should join efforts so that the strongcan help weak improve their performance”, Aimé says. By doing so, they will strengthen Burundi’s national music scene. Aimé Mugabonihera lives in Chicago since 2002. In August this year, he returned to visit his native country to organizeconcerts with unknown Burundian musicians, in order to help them improve their music performance and increase their visibility in Burundi. He has already played concerts in Ngozi and Muyinga and will still perform in Rumonge (August 23), Bujumbura(August 24) and Gitega (August 31).

Aimé regrets that there are some musicians who no longer wish to collaborate with others when they become famous. They consider themselves to be superstars.“But we need to support each other. We all encounter the same problems in our careers. We are all victims of the absenceofcopyright legislation in Burundi. Working together is the only way of claiming for our rights”, Aimé stresses.
Platin Nahimana, also known as ‘King Plat’,an unknown singer who is now collaborating with Aimé, feels that the concert he played with Aimé Mugabonihera benefitted him. “I got to perform in the country side, people who only heard or sawme on radio or TV could now see me live. It is a great thing for me, because I dreamt about it for a long time but didn’t have the money to make it happen.”
Bernisse Irumva (23)also had a great experience working with Aimé Mugabonihera. “I have earned the public’s confidence thanks to Aimé. I sang in a concert, something that is not easy for me because it is expensive. I learned many things during these concerts. I was able to identify my weaknessesand learned what I need to improve”,she testifies.

She invites other famous Burundians singers to organize many times activities that give opportunities young singers to be known and improve their performance. Aimé Mugabonihera concludes that when Burundian musicians start working together, they will make a giant leaps. “Together we will improve Burundian music.”