Culture Spears set to perform at Durban SATMA awards

GASEBALWE SERETSE
Staff Writer | Wednesday September 22, 2010 00:00

 

Speaking to Showbiz during an interview, Kabelo Mogwe, one of the lead singers, said that he was not surprised that the group has been invited to perform in South Africa because they are popular that side.

'We are a big name in the whole of South Africa and we are held in high esteem, which is why we have been invited to their national event,' he said adding that in the past they have performed with a number of high profile South African musicians at exclusive events and venues.  He asserted that their music is selling well in South Africa such that they are even popular with non-Sotho-Tswana speakers there.  Asked why they are in demand in the neighbouring country, Mogwe told Showbiz that their star began to shine in South Africa when Cebo Manyaapelo started playing their songs in the Tswana-language radio station, Motsweding fm.  Soon after that other radio stations followed suit and Culture Spears became a household name in South Africa.

Mogwe happily asserted that they have performed before the likes of former South African president, Thabo Mbeki and the current one, Jacob Zuma, 'which is a great achievement for us as a group'.

Culture Spears' popularity continues to soar as they have frequently featured in a South African traditional music programme, Roots, which is aired on SABC 1 every Sunday evening.  During their illustrious career, the group has performed alongside the likes of Ringo Madlingozi, Oliver Mtukudzi, Winnie Mashaba, and Lister Boleseng among other big names.

This group, which was founded along the banks of the Chobe River, has gone a long way since their debut on Botswana Television (Btv) in 2005 when they performed some of their songs that became instant hits.  Lady luck smiled on them and they became immensely popular in the country.   Soon they became a force to reckon with in the entire southern African region as Manyaapelo, a well-known lover of Setswana culture, started playing their music on Motsweding fm.The group's meteoric rise saw them shuttling between Botswana and South Africa for performances and other related events.

Culture Spears, which comprises Kabelo Mogwe, Magdeline Lesolebe, Thembeni Ramosetleng, Malaki Tapologo and Lydia Oile, is expected to leave for South Africa tomorrow morning.

The team is slated to perform in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon and fly to Durban the same day to perform at SATMA in the evening.

In other Culture Spears' related news, Kulenyane Studios has released Eke ntolo Volume 3 featuring Charma Gal, Mickey and Ramozara Volume 3.  The album has six tracks namely, Matebele, Mozara, Selelo, Mokete, Johane 14 and O Boa Leng.