On Sunday, May 5, Rwanda's secular musicians were once again slapped in the face by the fact that an up-and-coming gospel artist like Chryso Ndasingwa, who has three or fewer hits to his name, could fill BK Arena for the launch of his debut album.
Just five months prior to the show, another gospel star, Israel Mbonyi, sold out the 10,000-seater facility, and it's not the first time he's reached this milestone. It's become a routine for the musician to sell out concerts which are held at the state-of-the-art arena on the occasion of Christmas Day celebration.
The two are not the only gospel artists capable of filling the BK arena; James & Daniella, Ambassadors of Christ, Aime Uwimana and a few others can all fill the venue without necessarily including Nigerian artists in the line-up.
For secular musicians, despite all the clout and promotion they make on social media platforms, it remains a dream for them to sell out concerts or even draw large crowds to their shows.
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Some have tried in the past but failed. A good example is Bruce Melodie, who, in November 2021, celebrated his 10-year anniversary of his music career with a concert, but he had to give away some 1,000 free tickets to motorcyclists, as per reports, to fill the empty seats in the arena.
Since the concert took place, many music lovers, especially fans of secular music, have been unable to come to terms with the fact that a fast-rising musician like Chryso Ndasingwa would almost sell out BK Arena, while not a single local secular artist has done so since the venue's inauguration in 2019.
This, among many other valid factors, is why many are rating gospel music to be way ahead of secular music when it comes to quality of music, fan base, marketing strategy and many other things that make a good musician.
So, one would ask themselves, what are some of the reasons why gospel music is showing signs of dominating secular music in Rwanda, or why do aritstes the gospel music industry tend to enjoy longevity and success in the industry compared to their secular counterparts?
Church shapes gospel artistes
There is no doubt that churches are primary music schools for gospel musicians, as they are exposed to musical instruments at a tender age. There are also good examples of musicians who started from started their music in churches before venturing in secular music.
This is largely due to the fact that places of worship invest heavily in music, as it is believed to uplift the soul and draw the congregation closer to God.
As a result, churches buy musical equipment used to produce good sound and sometimes help church members to use it for learning purposes.
This, for instance, is what pushed Emma Gasasira, one of the most talented pianists and producers in Rwanda, to become a musician at a young age.
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In his recent interview with The New Times, Gasasira said that he was able to play piano at just 12 during praise and worship sessions at Zion Temple church and sometimes get gigs to play at concerts.
"Church raised and gave us a platform to be where we are today. Almost every good instrumentalist and producer learnt the art and beauty of music in places of worship. This is a fact that indicates how gospel musicians are groomed and nurtured by churches at a young age," the producer said.
Gasasira further emphasized that Gospel music production is way ahead of secular due to the fact that most gospel artistes have a musical ear and are easy to work with.
"It's easy to work with gospel musicians because they are already exposed to music. This makes it simple to produce a top-notch track," the producer added.
Gasasira has worked with some of the biggest names in Rwanda's music industry, including the likes of Israel Nbonyi, Yvan Buravan, Chryso Ndasingwa, Christopher and many others.
Diverse Supporters
According to the country's Fifth Population and Housing Census, conducted in August 2023, the population is 40 percent Roman Catholic; 21 percent Pentecostal; 15 percent Protestant, including Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, and evangelical Christian churches and 12 percent Seventh-day Adventist. This means that gospel artistes have an assured over 50 per cent audience in the country who believe in the message conveyed through their music.
Gospel music also attracts Christians and secular people as witnessed during Chryso Ndasingwa's concert where a number of celebrities associated with secular music were spotted.
Speaking to The New Times, Alex Muyobe, a renowned artistes' manager who was also present at Chryso's concert, said that Church plays a big role in supporting gospel musicians, and it's more visible when it comes to concerts where church members are asked to attend in big numbers.
For instance, Muyoboke said, having been part of two of the biggest churches in Rwanda like Zion Temple and Restoration Church is what helped the singer to fill the venue.
"At least one thousand people from Restoration Church and Zion Temple were in attendance at Chryso's concert. Also, Apostle Masasu's presence at the event is a reason to pull a large crowd at the show. This indicates how church is very keen on supporting its members that end up in the music industry," he said.
Muyoboke further highlighted that Gospel musicians support each other, crediting it for the consistency they have in the industry which is barely seen in the secular music world.
"From their concerts, anyone can easily tell how gospel musicians are supportive towards each other. They are always present at almost every event of their peers and this is a big marketing strategy for their music," the music management guru explained.
Meanwhile, unlike secular music, gospel is usually played in both worship places and also in different entertainment spots including bars and pubs of Rwanda.
This kind of unusual support continuously introduces fans from different belief systems to different gospel artistes every day. In turn, this ensures continuous inflow of fans hence providing longevity for different gospel artists.
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This support has been crucial in growing the genre and ensuring that gospel music never goes out of style.
For Tracy Agasaro, a gospel singer and renowned journalist, gospel musicians are down to earth creatures who believe and love God, another reason why they enjoy more success and longevity in the music industry than secular artistes.
"Gospel music is dominating secularism in Rwanda mainly because of the grace of God. We are also a united community which helps us to collaborate and stay at the top," Agasaro noted.
Absence of feuds
It is hard to find Rwandan gospel musicians at loggerheads, as it is more common in secular music, where some of the country's biggest artists are constantly fighting and exchanging words on social media.
The latest is Bruce Melodie's feud with rival The Ben, which has been making rounds on social media for some three to five years.
That's one of the beefs which are barely found among local gospel musicians, many of whom work together and support each other even during concerts.
The likes of Aime Uwimana, Tonzi, Aline Gahongayire and many others are known to support and promote up and coming musicians.
The unity, quality of production, consistency and following that gospel artistes have is clear proof that the gospel music industry is currently dominating secular music and has no signs of stopping.
