The spark that is Africa’s creative economy. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, many of the international music stars my generation looked up to came from the West. Africa already had extraordinary artists, but we rarely saw African stars command the kind of global cultural reach we are witnessing today. That is why seeing @heisrema perform at BK Arena this past @Kwitaizina weekend felt so powerful. Afrobeats has become a global force. And today, young Africans can see those stars celebrated right here on the continent, in venues capable of hosting major international entertainment and sporting events. And in that proximity lies true power. What young people can see, they can more easily imagine for themselves. It was equally important to see our Rwandan artists command that stage. From Kivumbi King feat. Kirikou, Juno Kizigenza, Kenny Sol, Sarah Phenom, DJ Marnaud, Ruti Joel, Massamba, to DJ Senshi, and our talented MCs Rocky and Lucky, our ambition must be both to attract Africa’s biggest artists, and build the platforms and ecosystem that enable our own talent to grow here, across Africa and beyond. And that ecosystem is much bigger than the artist. It includes managers, promoters, producers, musicians, dancers, technicians, designers, content creators, hospitality and security professionals, and many others. As our talent professionalizes, the professional infrastructure around it must mature too. Lastly, seeing children from the @SherrieSilver Foundation perform for Rema, who took time to encourage them, spoke to the power of possibility when we nurture talents from a young age. One can only imagine what that encounter like that has planted in those children’s minds. This is why investing in our cultural and creative industries matters: talent, livelihoods, professional ecosystems must all come together for the sake of our youth seeing African creativity as something they too can build a future in, proudly. 🇷🇼🌍