African afro-pop music channel, Trace will hold its debut “Trace Awards & Festival” between October 20 and 21 at the magnificent BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.
Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Trace TV, Olivier Laouchez, who confirmed this during a press conference held in Kigali on Thursday, June 1, said the festival was part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Trace, a “global music powerhouse and Afro-music tastemaker, which has played a big role in boosting Africa’s music industry.”
The “Trace Awards & Festival” will be held in partnership with Visit Rwanda, the country’s marketing and tourism initiative, Laouchez said.
“This first of its kind event will stage in Kigali because of the quality of infrastructure the country has which enables it to host big events,” he added.
“The awarding ceremony will recognise a broad range of music genres from Afrobeat to Dancehall, Afro-pop, Mbalax, Amapiano, Zouk, Kizomba, Genge, Coupé Décalé, Bongo Flava, R&B, and Rumba among other, while saluting artistes in a number of cultural and lifestyle categories.
“Since its very first day, Trace has been promoting and showcasing the diversity and power of Afro-urban culture.
“There is no better way to celebrate our milestone birthday than with this exciting new music and cultural franchise.
“The Trace Awards is our way of celebrating the artistry, vision, and impact of musicians and other leaders in the urban cultural landscape with an out-of-this-world ceremony that highlights and rewards their success and influence both in Africa and on the world stage,” Laouchez noted.
The CEO added that more than 50 African megastars had been pencilled down for the event, including Burna Boy, Davido, Rema, and Tiwa Savage, who have also been nominated for various award categories.