The Ben thrills at Blankets and Wine Uganda
Friday May 11 2018
The Ben performing at the recent Blankets and Wine in Kampala, Uganda. PHOTO | ANDREW I KAZIBWE
Ben Mugisha, commonly known as The Ben, is well known in the country and Burundi. He is also not a stranger in the Ugandan music scene.
His music is played in most top radio stations and his music videos screened in television stations across borders.
His popularity recently saw him feature as a headline act alongside South Africa’s Heavy K and Uganda’s Fik Famaica, at the 11th edition of the Blankets and Wine event in Kampala.
This edition was the first for this year and it took place on May 6 at the Lugogo Cricket Oval grounds in Kampala, Uganda. The event was well attended.
“These opportunities mean a lot and when I reflect back, I never thought I would be here today,” said The Ben.
Blankets and Wine is one of Uganda’s highly rated outdoor event that features top local, regional and continental African musicians performing live on stage.
The Ben entertained fans for close to two hours with songs like Roho, Ntacyadutanya and Binkolera. He gave a great live performance together with his band.
“The Ben’s success proves that Rwandan musicians can captivate and entertain audiences beyond borders,” said Joseph Kalisa, a Rwandan DJ based in Uganda.
The Ben has been in the music scene for the past 10 years and has made a name for himself at home and abroad in the US, where he has been for over seven years. He recorded songs like Am In Love, Ntacyadutanya, Roho and Habibi in the US.
The musician has performed in different events in Arizona, Washington DC, Chicago and Brussels among other places.
His previous performances include a homecoming concert at the “2017 The East African Party”; Airtel sensitisation performance tour around Rwanda with fellow artistes Meddy and Riderman; the 2017 Kwita Izina Dinner and the 2018 Mo Ibrahim Concert last month.
The Ben has collaborated with Rwanda’s Kid Gaju; Ugandan afro-dancehall star Sheebah Karungi; Uganda’s Afro R&B star Fille Mutoni and B2C. He also recently recorded a song with Kenya’s award-winning group Sauti Sol.
He is determined to take his music across the globe by recording more songs, working on other collaborative projects and going on more music tours. The Ben has a huge social media following and his music can be found on online music stores like Amazon and Spotify.
The musician is also pursuing a course in Public Health in Chicago, USA.