Fresh Les returns with Kwasa Kwasa album
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Friday October 30, 2020 14:52
His last Kwasa Kwasa album titled ‘Ke wa ga mang’ was released almost 13 years ago, and now the current Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU) president, is on a come back mission with what he says will be the very best of Kwasa Kwasa album.
In an interview with Arts & Culture, Fresh Les said he is back in the studio and working on the album, which will be released in January next year.
He said the album would also include a compilation of some of the songs from his past Kwasa Kwasa albums.
“My main intention is to release the very best of Rhumba album. It will be a compilation of my songs released in the past, which did not do well because they were never promoted. My fans have been calling for me to return and release an album despite that the Kwasa Kwasa genre is taking a deep in popularity in recent times; the genre still appeals to a larger population especially in rural areas and pulls large crowds during music festivals,” said Fresh Les.
Fresh Les also said while he has always been passionate about music from a young age, he was forced to take a break from the industry in 2008 after government decided to cut entertainment hours due to new regulations.
“I then decided to quit music and ventured into business. I opened some Jazz cafés whereby I hosted music festivals. I have a company called Jazz Brew in Mochudi, which hosted international and local Jazz artists. Then I got interested in Jazz music and released a Jazz album in 2014 called Ntsha Nkgo of which I scooped The Best Jazz album,” he said.
He said coming back into the industry with experience; he knows exactly what to do to make it work this time around.
Fresh Les said there is need for artists to vary their marketing strategies in order to make money especially during this pandemic.
He said artists must package their music in a way that would be ready to be exported outside the borders.
“BOMU executive committee and District chapters committees will find a way on how to make people to appreciate our local music, but we will need support from home for our music to trend,” he added.