LINA GADI

OkayAfrica's 100 Women celebrates African women who are making waves, shattering ceilings, and uplifting their communities.

Lina Gadi is the female founder of the UK’s first black-owned, men’s grooming brand: Shear and Shine Grooming. Gadi and her business partner Aaron Wallace, have a barbershop in Surrey that is catering to the black male’s grooming needs. At 27 years old, the British-born Dutch-raised Tanzanian is wearing the pants when it comes to masterfully marketing her products which include beard oils, conditioners and shampoos. Since its launch in January 2016, she has been in charge of commanding all of the company’s marketing, public relations, and EU Sales. Her hard work has proved to be worthwhile because Shear and Shine Grooming has been featured in multiple international publications including, Elle UK, Buzzfeed, BBC Radio, Blavity and more.

—MB

Music

11 Rwandan Artists You Should Be Listening To

Musicians like Bushali, Kivumbi King, Rita Ange Kagaju, and Alyn Sano have been putting their mark on the ever-changing Rwandan soundscape.

The current landscape of modern Rwandan music is more dynamic than ever before, from updated versions of traditional folk sounds to the recent 'KinyaTrap' phenomenon that has permeated playlists across the country. For decades, Rwandan airwaves have been dominated by international hits — and by a handful of established Rwandan superstars — but now, as the country continues to develop and diversify, so does its musical setting, with new and different sounds ascending from the hills. The past five years have seen the emergence of an army of young artists eager to reclaim their languages (Rwanda has four official languages) and identity, interlacing their music with influences that stretch far and wide.

Here are 11 artists that have emerged in the past five years to put their mark on the ever-changing Rwandan soundscape.