Valela releases double track
Kennedy Ramokone | Saturday October 15, 2022 06:00
The double single tracks are E sale o Modimo and Ndimwi Yesu. A photographer and chef by profession, Valela started his music journey from a tender age when he attended Sunday School sessions at the St John Apostolic church. The Jackalas No. 1 native, who is now based in Gaborone, is a newbie in the gospel music industry but he is already making waves.
The 37-year-old told Arts & Culture that growing up in a Christian family and listening to gospel music influenced his musical path. “Growing up in a Christian family really helped me to have a foundation. To know good and bad. We had a family choir in our church and my uncle who was a pastor then loved me to a point that he saw talent in me that I can sing. He would have songs that he knew I would sing beautifully and I was always given that platform from a young age.” he said.
Valela further said from Jackalas No. 1, he then relocated to Francistown to pursue his junior certificate level education at Goldmine Junior Secondary School between 1999 and 2001. “I (then) changed churches to a Pentecostal one because I was astonished by its set up. There were instruments there and I started to learn how to play keyboard. Later I was introduced to a praise and worship team and this really boosted my confidence.” he added. However, he said after completing Form 5 in 2003 he moved to Gaborone where he was welcomed by Pastor Percival Mtetwa.
He continued his passion by playing keyboard and leading the praise and worship team. “He (Mtetwa) was the first person to take me to South Africa. I was playing keyboard during his administration and I mastered his style of preaching," said Valela. However, things took a wrong turn when he went to further his studies at Francistown Technical College of Education as a Multimedia student. He said that's when he knew he had forsaken God. Mtetwa would often times call to tell him that he needs to reignite his relationship with God. After completing his studies he got employed by Sunday Standard newspaper as a photographer, where he worked for 11 years until he was retrenched from work early this year. “Early this year, I lost my job. I felt crushed and there were times where suicide was knocking in my mind. It was difficult until that point where God visited me and told me that the only way out is to be humble and repent," he said.
He also said he had to confess his sins to God through music and there was always a Kalanga song running in his mind hence Ndimwi Yesu (Jesus you are my saviour). “My friend Lyon Konkonyane advised me to approach Enerst Seakgosing of Chankieland Studios for recording and he didn’t disappoint me. The fact that I knew my purpose I didn’t look back. I hammered my lyrics. God was always by my side. My backing vocalists and instrumentalists were all not paid but they came for. It was so emotional in the studio. If you may listen to the songs, I was not conscious on how I was singing. I just wanted to thank God for saving me,” he concluded.