Franco overcomes grief to produce new album

Though this Gabane-based musician has acknowledged the downward spiral of the genre in Botswana, he is determined to spearhead its revival. He believes that as a top performer in the field he has a duty to fight against the extinction of rhumba.

"It is too early to throw in the towel. Rhumba has just slowed down, but should not be allowed to die. There are various reasons for the decline, one being the fact that local radio stations are no longer playing rhumba and this deprives the music of the much needed exposure to consumers and potential new followers," Franco said.  According to the former Africa Sounds backing vocalist and dancer, his new album, called Sephiri Se Dule, will prove to those who have already started to write the genre's obituary that there is still a long way to go before rhumba disappears into oblivion.