Captain Dira resurfaces with Bontja

CHIPPA LEGODIMO
Staff Writer | Thursday June 27, 2013 00:00

 

The man, popularly known for his hit track Mashobane, has tried different styles in an attempt to find his musical destiny.  Now, the short in stature musician is back with an album titled Konokono whose trump card should be the exciting Bontja song. His highly successful Matalanyane debut was followed up with a luke warm Mbaqanga album, Raago Software, which was rather a music piece born out of frustration.

'I saw my debut album sell well but not benefiting me financially, and I felt that maybe traditional music was not for me. Besides, from the start traditional music was not my thing.  I was only introduced to it and strangely I did well,' he said.Although many only noticed him when he went solo, Dira was introduced to music at a very early age when he was recruited to be part of the Mokorwana Cultural Group, one of the pioneer recording traditional music bands.  Following the poor sales of Raago Software, Dira made a U-turn and after a break from the studio, recorded his latest offering.  The results are there to prove that it was a break worth taking.  According to the musician, he has now discovered that traditional music is his real destiny.

'Initially I was not into this type of music but I have realised that it is the one that I do better than any,' he said.The 27-year-old says has travelled the world thanks to traditional music.  He has performed in Canada, the United Kingdom and has also performed at an African National Congress (ANC)rally in Gauteng.He also performed in South Africa last year at the invitation of the Botswana Embassy there. He later showcased his skills at the Botswana Embassy in Swaziland.  Dira has now formed a theatre group, Babinatshweneng, which has been invited to take part in a cultural event in Soweto, South Africa later in December.'I will be part of the group combining music with theatre.  But before do that, I have been invited to Germany in November. I want to use the trip to make contacts and market myself and the music,' he said.