In an exclusive interview with InyaRwanda, Racine reflected on his passion for music, which began in 2009. Despite pursuing his dream, he faced significant challenges along the way.
After completing secondary school in 2012, Racine chose to work at a hotel so he could save money for his music career. At the time, his songs lacked visibility and had not yet reached an audience.
He explained: “After finishing school, I told myself, ‘Let me find a job so I can invest money in my music and do things the way I want.’ When I tried earlier, I didn’t get the attention I was hoping for.”
In 2017, Racine released his debut single, “Agahugu,” funded by his hotel job earnings. During this time, he interacted with artists like Riderman and Bruce Melodie, but they were unaware of his artistic talents.
He shared: “While working as a hotel manager, I met Riderman and Bruce Melodie. It was a popular spot for celebrities, where many artists would visit. We interacted, but they only knew me as a manager, not an artist.”
Racine revealed that Bruce Melodie was the first artist to listen to his debut single. He said: “I told him, ‘Do you know I’m a musician?’ When I played the song for him, he had just released his track ‘Am Back’ with Jay C. After listening, he asked me, ‘Who is the rapper behind this song? He sounds amazing.’ I replied, ‘It’s mine.’”
Bruce Melodie’s encouragement and advice gave Racine the confidence to fully embrace his music career. Similarly, Riderman motivated him to prioritize releasing his first track.
Racine added: “When I showed the song to Riderman, he said, ‘Why isn’t this song out yet? What's holding it back?’ They kept urging me to release it, telling me I had talent.”
Inspired by their support, Racine made the bold decision to leave his hotel job and focus on music. His debut single opened doors for further opportunities, including a fan donation of 500,000 Rwandan francs to support his craft.
Today, Racine has no regrets about his decision to pursue music. Recently, he collaborated with Papa Cyangwe on a new single titled "100." He expressed that music is his true calling and continues to be his passion.
Racine officially announced his departure from his hotel job to follow his dream of becoming an independent musician.
Bruce Melodie, who knew Racine as a hotel manager, expressed amazement at his musical talent.
Racine reminisced about Riderman’s strong encouragement to release his first single.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH OUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH RACINE
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO ‘100’ BY PAPA CYANGWE AND RACINE
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO RACINE’S DEBUT SONG ‘AGAHUGU’