Hamptons set eyes on UK
Spira Tlhankane | Friday March 6, 2020 16:24
The last Hamptons festival was held in 2018.
Event organiser, Debbie Smith made the announcement during a press brief recently. She said amongst their main priorities this year was to put local artists first no wonder they want to take the Hamptons to the UK. Smith also said most of their past events focused more on international artists.
“We are trying to make sure that from 2020 to 2021, a Botswana brand goes to the UK and starts something else altogether,” she revealed.
Smith also said instead of bringing the world to Botswana rather they should take Botswana music to the rest of the world.
“The artists that we have in this year’s lineup are the same people we will involve in future festivals that we want to do in the UK,” she highlighted.
Smith also revealed that there were some complaints that some artists like Charma Gal should not be on the lineup because they are not jazz artists.
“We should be bolder and say we are trying to build the music industry and we don’t just need jazz but everyone from different music genres,” she further said.
Smith thanked the Botswana Tourism Organisation and the Brand Botswana for helping local artists outside.
“So, we are looking at some of these artists when we are ready we will take them across,” she highlighted. Smith said they are trying to get Batswana to like their own first before heading out to the UK.
She said when they first started in 2014 it was something small and they never thought it would turn out this way. “It has been going on quite, we have had our hiccups on the way.
With this year event they talked to owners of Royal Aria stadium and they were welcomed with open hands.
This year we have no issues with logistics,” she said. She said they are trying to do a pan African event with the artists they brought this year. She said most of the SADC countries are represented through musicians.
This year’ event will be headlined by artists such Jimmy Dludlu, Nathi, Vusi Nova, Sereetsi & The Natives, Amantle Brown, Don Laka, Mzwakhe Mbule, Lister Boleseng, Elemotho, Charma Gal just to mention but a few.