Jaro catapults Natale to instant fame

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Thursday January 22, 2009 00:00

Natale has taken the local music industry by storm with his new album Jaro, which was released late last year. 

The album has been a hit with most music lovers. It has also been receiving massive airplay on local radio stations.

Being from a village where folk music is the in-thing, he has always been passionate about the genre.  In fact, he says traditional music is in his blood.

Natale has always been an ardent follower of the Radio Botswana (RB) Sunday morning programme, Dipina Le Maboko which features traditional artists.  Madimabe's music is often played on this programme. 

The talented Natale left school before he could complete Standard Four and spent most of his time at the cattle post. Even at the cattle post he used to try his hand at singing. He impressed his friends so much that they encouraged him, saying with his powerful voice he should record an album. 

As for his sobriquet, Natale, he has always called himself by this name, probably because he loves Durban in Natal, South Africa, even though he has never been there.

Natale said Madimabe, whom he refers to as his uncle, is another musician who has had an influence on him. 'I used to listen to him when I was young,' he said.  He recalled that Madimabe used to dance waving a fly whisk.  At times, he said, Madimabe performed for traditional leaders and at social functions. Natale's album includes Madimabe's popular song, Sebodu Ke Nene Kwane.

Nonetheless, Natale's music needs some refinement because some of his lyrics border on the obscene. But according to him, lyrics of a traditional song are never offensive.  Pina ga e na bosekele, is how he defends his crude language. He said traditional artistes have always used this type of language in their music since time immemorial. 

However, conventional wisdom has shown that the more you use dirty lyrics, the more your music becomes popular. 

Like Natale has said, such language has become synonymous with traditional music. Even the likes of the late Ratsie Setlhako used to spice their music with such language.  Even the music lovers do not find the language to be offensive.

Another traditional group, Matsieng, became popular because of their songs, Tinto, which is rich in obscene language. 

Natale's music might also not be popular with gender activists. In one of his songs, he says a wife should never ask her husband where he had been the previous night. 

Natale is under Tex Ramogobya's stable, Kalakuta Records. 

Since he released his album, Natale has become one of the most sought after artists. The new kid on the block has staged shows in various places.  During the New Year's Eve he was in the group of artists who performed at the successful Lion's Park festival. 
He said even people from his home village and from all over Botswana, have been congratulating on the album.

But Natale says the man who deserves all the accolades is Ramogobya because he is the one who produced the album.