Franco lashes out at self-serving politicians in new album

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Thursday February 17, 2011 00:00

 

However, the controversial title track risks denying the most successful rhumba artist airplay on government radio stations, which might not want to be seen to be attacking the political leaderships through his song.

Happily, Franco does not feel threatened. He says he harbours no political ambitions.  He also says he is not a Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) activist either, despite his newly-found political voice in his music. 'I'm not a politician, I'm just a musician, making a comment on societal issues,' he said when asked to elaborate on the song during the album's final touches at a studio in Gaborone this week.

Franco claims he is so politically neutral that he has hired his musical equipment to various political parties, as well as performed for their audiences at rallies.  'I have even shouted the Kopano slogan, the Tsholetsa slogan, and the orange party, what do you call it, again, yes, BMD!  If they give me their t-shirts to wear during the promotion, I just wear them, and shout their slogans, and then take the t-shirt off later.  The next time, I would be wearing another political party's t-shirt, shouting their slogan to my fans.  I have no problems with any political party,' he said.  Besides the controversial Sephiri se dule song, Franco has gone miles in transforming his kwasa-kwasa music.   He has managed to deviate from the monotonous beat, to come up with new refreshing sounds that appeal to the ear. After nine albums, kwasa-kwasa music needed a turn-around and transformation.  Indeed the last three years have not been good for the genre, as it has experienced unprecedented decline in both sales and concert attendances.

Franco had to shelve a project last year, while his ninth album, also did not do well due to various factors, including the global credit crunch.

In a rare development Franco also features extensively some of his band members in backing and lead vocals as opposed to using just his vocals throughout the album.