Lebo Gee to perform with SA giants

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Tuesday November 9, 2010 00:00

The gospel spectacular, which is sponsored by Metropolitan, is scheduled for November 27 at the SSKB auditorium.  The organisers of the festival held a press conference at the President Hotel on Monday to update journalists about the preparations.  The artists who are going to perform at the festival also attended the press briefing.  The three artists were given an opportunity to address the media.  

Tshola who is popularly known as the 'Village Pope' was in a jovial mood as he cracked jokes with journalists.  Tshola, who will conduct a workshop for local artists prior to the festival,  paid tribute to the legendary guitarist, John Selolwane, who also attended the press conference.

 He said it is high time that Botswana honoured Selolwane.  'We should have an award ceremony to honour our legends so that young artists could be encouraged,' he said.

Speaking in an interview after the press briefing, Tshola said he did not want to see young artists following in their path.  'I don't want our children to go through what we have experienced,' he said.  He said after 40 years in music, he should not be surviving like he is doing.  'I should be living comfortably,' he said.  

Although he is popular as an Afro jazzman, Tshola said he has always included a gospel song in every album he produces.  'Gospel has always been part of my journey,' he said.  His gospel album is entitled Ask Me.  Tshola made it into the music world after they formed the Lesotho group, Sankomota with the late Frank Leepa. 

Sankomota became one of the most respected groups in the southern African region.  The group was initially known as Black Uhuru.  Tshola parted ways with Sankomota to embark on a solo career.  

Prior to moving to South Africa, Tshola was based in Botswana and played for the defunct local group, which was known as Kalahari.  Tshola  considers Botswana to be his second home.  

The local artist, Lebo Gee started music by training her voice alone at home.  When she was a younger girl, she spent most of the time singing.  She started singing in church and joined the youth choir.

In 2001, one of her church mates invited her to sing at her wedding. 

That was where she met Mpho Oatweng who invited her to sing as a backing artist in his album.

Lebo said it was Oatweng who oriented her to the world of music.  She had backed him since 2003 and other local acts.  Lebo has since released two albums, Metlholo and Tsunami.

Last year Lebo got another opportunity to share the stage with another South African gospel queen, Rebecca Malope at the Masiela Trust Fund Concert.  As for Mashaba, she has quietly earned the adoration of thousands of gospel music fans in South Africa and neighbouring countries over the past 10 years.

Mashaba grew up in the Limpopo Province at Steelpoort and began singing when she was still in primary school.  Her passion for singing and belief in her ability to impact South Africa's always vibrant gospel music scene forced Mashaba to leave school in 1998, determined to follow her heart.  

'My mother was supportive of me because she heard me sing over the years at school and in choirs and knew that my voice was a gift from God that I really needed to use. 

It was she who introduced me to Solly Moholo, who I must thank for giving me a start in the music business.'

Moholo is a legendary South African gospel producer, songwriter and artist in his own right.  When Mashaba travelled to Pretoria to sing for him, it did not take him long to get her into a recording studio. 

The result was Exoda 20, released in 2000 and an album that ignited the gospel music scene, showcasing Mashaba's extraordinarily mature voice. 

Exoda 20 turned gold and marked the start of Mashaba's recording career, one that has flourished ever since and seen the release of an album a year over the past five years.  

One of her albums, O Tla Ya Kae, provides a platform for Mashaba's striking voice and messages of inspiration and hope.  Mashaba herself co-wrote most of the material on the album with Faxa Dube and in the producer's seat this time around is another South African master in the genre, William Faxa Dube.     A committed member of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), Mashaba's music is created with a diverse audience in mind.

'My music is deeply spiritual and reaches people in the ZCC, Christians of other denominations and music fans who love gospel music.'She sings in several languages, among them SePedi, isiZulu and Shangaan. 

This will be the second edition of the festival, which was held for the first time last year.