A Rwandan band has gone viral on social media by singing Chinese songs, amassing millions of Chinese followers online.
The group, led by Pacifique Izabayo, also known as "Bobo", includes three other Rwandan singers, and combines their music performance with displays of their African roots in their videos.
Izabayo began creating short videos in 2019 on Kuaishou, a Chinese video-sharing app. Since last year, he and his band have been posting on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, gaining popularity by singing Chinese songs while showcasing rural life in Rwanda. These platforms have helped them gather over four million followers in China.
"We didn't expect our performance to become so popular in China. The enthusiastic response from the audience has motivated us to keep posting videos every day. We need to keep it up," said Izabayo.
Izabayo's journey with Chinese music began five years ago when he started learning Chinese at the Confucius Institute in the Rwandan capital of Kigali. This education enabled him to perform Chinese songs.
"We've posted on many overseas platforms and received excellent feedback. Many viewers were surprised to find that we were singing in Chinese, with comments like, 'Are you singing in Chinese, or you are just pretending?' Many of them just didn't believe that we could do that. Some were curious about how we learned the language and expressed interest in Chinese culture because of our videos," he said.
In April this year, the band visited Chengdu, the provincial capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, and created a video singing a popular song about the city. Since their trip, Izabayo and his band have planned to sing more Chinese songs and look forward to future collaborations with Chinese artists.
Rwandan band gains popularity by singing Chinese songs
Truck drivers and their cargoes sought refuge in a Shanghai activity hub as Typhoon Bebinca, the strongest typhoon to hit the city in decades, made landfall on Monday morning, unleashing heavy rains and winds exceeding 160 kilometers per hour.
In the Pudong District, situated on the southeastern tip of Shanghai, the impact of Typhoon Bebinca was stark, with trees and road signs uprooted, construction sites disrupted, and bicycles scattered across the ground.
Shanghai is not prone to strong typhoons, but local authorities have made emergency plans.
In Lingang Special Area, an activity hub was transformed into a temporary shelter for over 130 truck drivers and their cargoes.
"With such strong winds, it's not safe to park my truck on the street. Trees could fall. Parking here is a safer choice. The service is good here. It's clean, and it also provides food. We can take a shower here," said Wang Shaodong, a truck driver from east China's Anhui Province.
"The Donghai Bridge has been closed, as the typhoon is approaching. That's why we came here. They provide us with bedding, and air conditioners were turned on. So we are staying here. There are also meals downstairs," said Gong Xiangge, a hazardous cargo driver from east China's Shandong Province.
"We call these truck drivers 'men living on wheels.' The 13th typhoon [of this year] brought gales, with maximum wind speed reaching 36.9 meters per second, so danger may come at any time. So staying on the side of the street is unsafe for both trucks and drivers," said Fan Jianrong, deputy director of Lingang Special Area Investment Holding Group.
Although traffic resumed on all roads and bridges across Shanghai starting from 20:00 on Monday, precautions are still in place as Typhoon Pulasan, the 14th of the year, has formed in the northeastern Pacific and could follow a similar path to Typhoon Bebinca.
The director of the center said that the shelter remains open to those in need, ensuring that assistance is readily available for individuals affected by the poor weather.
Truck drivers seek shelter as powerful typhoon hits Shanghai
