Rwanda beckons Lulu, Third Eye
BY SAM BANDA JNR:
More doors continue to open for the country’s artists, the latest being that Lulu and Third Eye will represent Malawi at the 8th Annual KigaliUp Rwandan Music Festival to be held at Amahoro Stadium Grounds from Thursday to Saturday.
Lulu and Third Eye’s international manager, Wendy Harawa, said Tuesday the two artists are expected to leave the country today for Rwanda.
Lulu and Third Eye are expected to join acts that include Joey Blake and Kenny Wesley, among others.
Nkhwachi Mhango, playwright and actor has also been invited to the festival. However, he is responsible for flight arrangements.
In a letter dated July 15 2018, the KigaliUp Team says the festival promotes original music – traditional and modern alike – from independent artists throughout Africa diaspora.
The letter also says that the festival offers a diverse musical palette and that it embraces Rwanda’s ancient musical expressions along with other sounds birthed from Africa’s deep, diverse musical traditions, such as folk, blues, world music, hip hop, funk, reggae, jazz and gospel.
The organisers have also indicated that Third Eye is a great artist who will be an amazing addition to their programme.
Wendy, who recently brought into the country Nigeria’s gospel musician Jimmy D Psalmist who held concerts in Lilongwe and Blantyre, said she is excited that Lulu and Third Eye will star for Malawi in Rwanda.
“Lulu and Third Eye’s music passed the test. We have more festivals coming up and we are looking to expose more Malawi talent,” she said.
Trading under Jacobs Events Management, who manage artists locally and internationally, Wendy said Lulu and Third Eye are expected back on July 30.
Having attended several workshops of music producers, managers, promoters and other creative players outside the country including in Morocco, Wendy said she ended up getting the opportunity for the two.
“I found space as I was part of music meetings in Morocco and I ended up networking to get this spot,” she said.
The two artists will perform on Saturday.
Lulu said he is excited to represent Malawi at the festival.
“I am yet to get the whole itinerary but I know I am leaving tomorrow (today),” the ‘N’zalera’ star said.
Third Eye, real name Mandela Mwanza, said he has a lot on his wardrobe and not just the festival in Rwanda.
“The streets know I have been the commander in chief of the unofficial youth army that collectively dreams through my music of an unprecedented Malawian prosperity since 10 years ago when I dropped my first ever music video ‘Burning Bush’,” Third Eye said.
He said the festival is an opportunity for him to do more and that he is on fire to help fight poverty.
The Mandela Washington Fellow said after Kigali’s concert, he will be passing through Kenya to meet the Managing Director of Templeco Music EA and Buddha Blaze to discuss possible collaborations in Southern Africa.
“It’s interesting to note their partners include FC Barcelona and Roc Nation,” he said.
Third Eye also revealed that in September he will be launching Mandela Mwanza Business Club with FDH Bank through a year-long project he intends to use to register free accounts for all students in the top 100 government schools.
“As Barack Obama advised us when we had the priviledge of meeting him in August 2016, let us not dwell on who we want to be but what we want to do for our African countries,” he said.
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