New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Shakura S'Aida Official Website) Toronto blues singer Shakura S'Aida and Rwandan born world music artist The Mighty Popo will play a major benefit concert at Toronto's Revival nightclub on June 15.
The concert is to raise funds to help create a festival in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda; both artists will represent Canada at the event, called KigaliUp, which will take place on September 10. Funds raised at the Toronto concert will also help start an annual music in the schools programme in Rwanda.
Who: SHAKURA S'AIDA and THE MIGHTY POPO and their bands, and special guests
What: An evening of joyful blues and African music
Why: To raise funds for the first KigaliUp music festival, being held in September in Primature Park in downtown Kigali, Rwanda
When: Wed. June 15. Doors 7.30 p.m. , show at 8.00 p.m.
Where: Revival, 783 College St. 416 535-7888
How much: $20.00 at the door.
BACK STORY IN POINT FORM:
# KigaliUp is the brainchild of Rwandan-born Juno Award-winning musician Jacques Murigande, best known as The Mighty Popo.
Forced to flee his homeland by tribal disputes and horrifying genocide, he was a child refugee in nearby Burundi for many years, before finally coming to Canada at 21 - the first country of which he was officially made a citizen.
The dream of creating a unique festival in his homeland grew out of his immigrant experience, performing at North American festivals and his frequent trips home to Rwanda.
# The team behind KigaliUp is comprised of Festival and arts industry veterans from across Canada, Europe and Rwanda, including Kerry Clarke, artistic director of the Calgary Folk Festival. Using the Canadian folk festival template, recognized world-wide as one of the finest examples of music event organization, KigaliUp will celebrate the diverse traditions of a vibrant country.
# A number of well-known Rwanda artists will take part, including Muyango, Ben Ngabo and Sophie Nzayisenga.
# Canadian performers at KigaliUp will include The Mighty Popo, blues singer Shakura S'Aida, and Kenyan-born rapper Shad.
# Shakura S'Aida is Canada's international blues artist. Voted Female Singer of the Year at the Maple Blues Awards, she has performed so far this year in Australia, France. Germany, Luxembourg and the United States. She will return to France later this month, and then perform at six major festival or concert events in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Italy.
# Shad - Shadrach Kabango - won the 2011 Juno for Rap recording of the Year. "I'll Never Understand," a track from his debut album, When This is Over examined the Rwandan genocide, and included poetry written by his mother.
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