Nigerian Afro-beat, pop and dancehall musician Timaya will be performing at the Kigali Jazz Junction on March 25. This is a live event held every month and dedicated to jazz music although other genres feature too.

Born Inetim Timaya Odon in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, he started his musical career in the local church choir.

He did collaborative productions with various other Nigerian musicians such as Don Jazy, Rude boy, Phyno, Olamide, Kcee and Mr Flavor.

He got his big break in 2005 with the single Dem Mama.

In 2007, under Nigerian producer Danny Wilson, he released his debut album True Story. His second album titled Gift and Grace (2008) had songs like Chinekeme and I don’t Blow, and it garnered him awards like Album of the Year Award at the 2008 Nigeria Music Awards and the Best Reggae and Dancehall Album at the 2008 Headies Awards.

International event

In 2012, he was appointed the peace ambassador for the Inter-religious and International Federation for World Peace.

In 2014, he released the album Epiphany and set up Dem Mama Records label.

The Kigali Jazz Junction set up in 2015, last took place in 2020 when it hosted Nigeria’s Joe Boy, and today it is an international event. Past star performances include the late Zimbabwean Oliver Mtukudzi, Uganda’s Isaiah Katumwa and Maurice Kirya, Awilo Longomba of the DR Congo and Kenya’s Cece Sagini and Mayonde. Others are Nigeria’s Seyi Shay, Chile’s guitarist Tito Al Uribe, Phillisia Ross and Barbra Bannette (USA), Slai (France), South Africa’s Zahara and Ringo Madlingozi.