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London Calling Podcast Yana Bolder
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — Singer and songwriter Clarisse Karasira is a big deal, especially in her home country of Rwanda.
Karasira’s popular Youtube music videos have more than 35 million views. She was named best female artist of the year by that country’s equivalent of the Grammys in both 2019 and 2021.
Writing and performing exclusively in her native Kinyarwanda language, Karasira’s music is all about promoting traditional Rwandan culture with sweet melodies and grooving, modern beats.
Karasira’s songs are aimed at lifting up her fellow Rwandans, making them proud of who they are and letting them know they need not look to Europe or the United States for artistic inspiration.
And she does it all from her home in South Portland.
Karasira will play a worldwide album release show at Waynflete School’s Franklin Theater in Portland on Sunday night. The new music was recorded in Portland in collaboration with Rwandan producers and musicians half a world away.
The internet makes that possible.
“We moved here in 2021 to further her artistic opportunities,” said Karasira’s husband and manager, Sylvain Ifashabayo. “It doesn’t matter where we are. The message still gets to the target audience, thanks to digital.”
Since arriving, the couple has continued to make new music and videos aimed directly at a Rwandan audience while also starting a family and settling in. They initially chose Maine because they had a Rwandan friend in Portland, where there’s a small Rwandan community. They chose to stay because they love it here.
“We are Mainers now,” Ifashabayo said.
Karasira said she especially likes performing for Mainers.
“They are so attentive. Even if they don’t know the language, they want to hear what you are saying,” she said. “They are attentive, quiet and present.”
Karasira’s Sunday performance is presented by Mayo Street Arts. Her previous show there sold out more than a week in advance. Thus, this week’s concert is being held in the larger, Waynflete space.
Talking over a couple of smoothies at a cafe near their home, it’s clear that Karasira and Ifashabayo are a team. Ifashabayo, the hype man, does most of the talking and is clearly enamored of his wife’s talents. Karasira, the artist, is more circumspect and careful with her words, using phrases that already sound like song lyrics.
They met just before the pandemic, as she was starting her music career and he was working in the music business, booking traditional artists.
At the start of their romantic relationship, Ifashabayo sent his future wife a long text in English. She answered him back in Kinyarwanda and asked him to reply likewise — and he did.
“I was like, ‘Wow, this guy is something else,’” Karasira said. “At the time, I was on fire for promoting the language.”
Ifashabayo was also impressed.
“I was pretty embarrassed that somebody could educate me around my own
language,” he said.
After a two-year courtship, they were married and moved to Maine, where their son was born.
Karasira’s new album, “Bakundwa,” means “beloved” in Kinyarwanda. A teaser track, “Kwanda,” premiered in June with a gentle video featuring the couple and their toddler son in what is obviously a Maine setting.
The track has more than a half-million views so far and hundreds of comments from all over the world, especially Africa.
“Lots of love from Zimbabwe,” wrote one listener. “You are the one who made me to love Rwanda music.”
“This a true piece of African art,” another commented.
As an offshoot of the new album, Ifashabayo just started a talent and promotion agency called Creative Stars aimed at helping other immigrant artists find the resources they need to record music, shoot videos and find performance venues in Maine.
Speaking again for his wife, the artist he represents, Ifashabayo said she ultimately wants to make music that will be good enough to promote itself.
“That is her notion in music, is to make something that is timeless, a song that becomes new every time you listen to it, whether it’s two years after its release or three years,” he said. “We want the song to be a reference to the generations that will come 100 or 200 years ahead.”
And the couple sees no reason why they can’t do that from here.
“Maine people are really friendly and kind people, who are curious to know, who are open to learning from other people,” Ifashabayo said. “And at the same time, it’s a place where you can raise your child.”
Karasira’s album release concert is at 6 p.m. Sunday at Waynflete School at 360 Spring St. in Portland. Tickets are on sale now.
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