How Botswana�s best perform on Youtube

Monkagedi Gaothobogwe | Monday March 17, 2014 14:26

 

But how do the best of Botswana’s music perform on Youtube at a time when the free medium of mass communication is catapulting other musos into stardom?

A rough survey by The Monitor reveals that leading local musos are struggling to tap into millions of viewers that are enjoyed by other musos in other parts of the world.

However, impressive numbers equivalent to about 10 percent of the national population or over 200,000 views has viewed some of the leading local musicians’ videos.

 

Culture Spears’ Khudu

Since uploaded on Youtube in 2008, this Culture Spears video has been viewed 252,447 times to establish itself as one of the most viewed local video by a recording artist.

Interestingly the group’s signature track Kulenyane, which is arguably the most celebrated traditional song composition locally, has enjoyed 192,639 Youtube views since uploaded in 2007 while their last title song, Kueletsana, has been viewed 90,963 times.

 

Vee’s Takutaku

With about eight videos posted by various fans, Vee’s signature track is arguably the most celebrated local song on Youtube. One of the Takutaku videos posted in 2006 has been viewed 235,468 times while another Takutaku video posted in 2007 by Zimvibes has had some 141,273 views. Another Takutaku video has been viewed over 18, 000 times taking the combined views for the song on Youtube to over 400,000.

Slizer’s Ke Ngwana Wa Mang

If Slizer Kaisara’s Ke Ngwana Wa Mang videos were to be combined the Bobonong hip wiggler could rightly take the gong for the most watched local female song on Youtube with a total of 298 000 viewers which include 240, 390 single views for the video of the same song.

Ekentolo’s Zimba

From the same Ekentolo album with the hit track Re Sia Le Matebele, Zimba has surpassed the success of the title track on Youtube, generating some 218,260 views since it was uploaded in April 2011. Ekentolo’s Chika Dance, featuring in two separate Youtube videos with 188,096 views and 124,294 views respectively confirms its popularity with combined views of 312,390. Unfortunately there seems to be no music video of one of Ekentolo’s greatest songs, Matebele. However, an audio version of the song uploaded by a fan has generated 107,696 views.

Dikakapa

Dikakapa may be defunct now as a group, but they continue to impress their fans on Youtube. Tsala and Pula, two of their songs from their debut album and subsequent album, have been watched 172,848 times and 120,790 times respectively.

 

Mingo

He may be hitting blanks today in as far as composing hits is concerned but Mingo’s debut track, Tshaba Tsotsi, has an impressive 147,478 views on Youtube, ahead of Mapetla’s signature track, AaaH, which has 110,635 views.