Charma Gal reflects on Kgosi Ya Mosadi concert
Sharon Mathala | Sunday November 20, 2022 06:00
Born Magdeline Lesolebe, Charma Gal is not worried about the feedback more particularly that the event was marred by low turnout of spectators.
Although she could not share the exact numbers of music lovers who attended her show, Arts & Culture can confirm that the National Stadium at the most was a quarter full by midnight and towards the end of the show.
One would have expected that besides attracting her legion of fans, those who are strict followers of legendary Rhumba star, Koffi Olomide, would also show up to pack the venue just like it happened during his show in Botswana back in 2005.
One would have hoped to see his fans fill the stadium clad in drips and gear immortalising the legend and his style but that was not the case on October 29. In fact, only a handful of his fellow countrymen who live in Botswana were spotted in the legend’s style of clothing.
But this has not deterred Charma Gal who says that: “Well I don’t view it as a low turnout considering the amount we were able to make out of the show. I am eternally grateful to everyone who has supported me and the Charma Gal brand.”
Still on Kofi Olomide, the ‘Sekuta’ songstress remarks: “He can be a drama king.” Whilst she refuses to go into detail, Charma Gal may have been referring to the fact that the Congolese changed his lodging at the last minute saying the accommodation he was booked in was “not up to his standard.”
According to an insider, Kofi Olomide told the organisers that he had googled accommodation facilities in Botswana and the facility chosen by the organisers was not his preferred choice and so he had to be found new accommodation on the day he arrived.
“But besides being a drama king, he really did advise us on some stuff and so we learnt a lot from him during his short visit,” Charma Gal added.
His drama was also picked by our reporters who attended the show. He did not quite perform his level best, for starters he was on stage for a little over an hour and soon as his performance was done he left back to his hotel. His entourage was also spotted by our reporters demanding ‘alcohol’ from the organisers who at the time did not have the specifications they demanded.
Back to her electrifying performance, Charma Gal says it was due to a lot of workouts. “I was working out every morning and every night. When I tell you I have never spent so much time at the gym like I did for this show, you would think I was joking. I had to also change my diet which was not easy for me. I had to reduce eating at night and cut down on starch because we really had to keep fit.”
Asked on how she managed against all odds to host the show she says: “The truth is we never really had money or sponsors. It was all services in kind and this meant that I had to dig deep into my pockets to be able to finance the show. No one, and I mean no one supported us financially but hey, we managed right?”
She continued: “I will be honest with you, it was not easy because there were a lot of logistics and red tapes that had to be dealt with and it is not easy. The event demanded a lot of man power and equipment and you can imagine how that was for me and my team.”
However Charma Gal is not backing down. “But we are actually impressed with how everything turned out. We will continue hosting Kgosi Ya Mosadi concert. It is my tagline and my idea so it won’t be the last time you hear of us,” she said. Charma Gal also dodges to answer whether she made profit, loss or if she at least broke even from the show. “For security reasons I won’t say how much we made from the show,” she said.
The songstress has moved on immediately from the show as she prepares to host a listening session of her new album this weekend in Gaborone.
“This weekend I will have a listening session for my new album called Likhona. It will be a six-song album and I ask that you continue supporting me as you have (done) over the years,” She added.
The songstress started her career with Culture Spears traditional band in 2004 before launching a successful solo career.