Music of Rwanda

Rwanda is an African nation with a long history of folk music. Because of socio-military unrest and violence, many Rwandans have moved overseas in recent years, bringing their country's music to cities like Brussels. The ikinimba is probably the most revered musical tradition in Rwanda. It is a dance that tells the stories of Rwandan heroes and kings, accompanied by instruments like ingoma, ikembe, iningiri, umuduri and inanga. The inanga, a lyre-like string instrument, has produced many of Rwanda's best-known performers internationally, including Sentore, Maitre de Rujindiri, Kirusu, Sebatunzi, Sophie and Victor Kabarira.

The Rwandan-Belgian Cécile Kayirebwa is the most famous Rwandan musician. Before the chaotic 1990s, Rwanda produced popular local bands like Imena, Nyampinga, Les 8 Anges, Les Fellows, Impala, Abamarungu, Los Compagnons de la Chanson, Bisa, Ingenzi and Isibo y'Ishakwe. They took influences from across Africa, especially the Congo, as well as Caribbean zouk and reggae. Following the civil war, music gradually returned to the country, and new stars arose, the most prominent of which is probably Aimé Murefu, a guitarist that draws upon American rock and blues guitarists like Jimi Hendrix, BB King and Carlos Santana.

References

• Jacquemin, Jean-Pierre, Jadot Sezirahigha and Richard Trillo. "Echoes from the Hills". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 608-612. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0