23 May 2017

Two South African artists Leomile Motsetsela and Zelizwe Mthembu recently rocked Oodi at AFDA School of Arts as part of their tour to various universities in Southern Africa.

The duo is in a tour of universities across the SADC region carrying out a project funded by Concerts SA, a Norwegain/South African initiative that helps live musician’s tour.

Speaking in an interview, the Lesotho-born singer/songwriter, Leomile noted that with her guitarist and composer Zelizwe they wanted  people to listen to their music and applied to be assisted to tour the region.

Concerts SA works with musicians, promoters, venue owners and audiences, and provides support to the sector through research and skills development for music professionals.

The project aims to build a vibrant and viable live music circuit in Southern Africa, and also aims to develop an interest in and appreciation of live music by showcasing music performances and conducting workshops at schools.

She said her treatment of the vital and often buried aspects of African life is honest yet ultimately charged with idealism and hope in the sphere of Afro fusion with heavy influences of soul and jazz where her music mainly resides.

Leomile noted that they wanted to perform to audiences that could understand the Sesotho language as Setswana, Sesotho and Sepedi are similar, and also that she wanted to investigate the differences in the cultural experiences.

She said the Lesotho-South African collaboration started in 2014 when Mthembu lent his skills to her for her graduation recital, and thereafter became a permanent fixture of her band assisting with arrangements, composing and guitar playing.

Passionate about the music they play, the duo has decided to tour regionally with their six-piece live band and connect with their peers and core market by touring universities and colleges in Lesotho, South Africa and Botswana.

Leomile said the tour targets university students and that the kind of music they sing attracts a diverse crowd hence that was why students from universities were opening acts of the show.

Leomile recently released her debut album Pula-Molomo to commercial and critical acclaim and she has so far been nominated for three national awards in Lesotho by the Ultimate FM music awards including Song of the Year, which shows the musician has found resonance with the people.

Her mission is to foster the telling of African narratives by Africans as a means of learning in order to heal and find peace.

She said themes of African deities and heroes prevail in her work as she tries to understand how Africans engaged a higher existence before colonisation, and yet she doesn’t shy away from the current trials and tribulations of modern living because they too form part of the fabric of her identity.

Zelizwe is also a songwriter and student of communications who was musically trained at the Music Academy of Gauteng and at the Moses Molelekwa Arts Foundation.

Leomile noted that Zelizwe has been a key contributor to the writing and performing of African music as the chief composer and lead guitarist for her bands The Brother Moves On, Zuko Collective, Brown Baby Music, The Leomile Project and his solo work as Yusuf Makongela.

The Leomile project SADC universities’ tour is supported by Concerts SA through the Music Mobility Fund, a funding mechanism which offers opportunities for South African musicians to undertake live music tours.

Concerts SA is a joint South African/Norwegian live music development project housed within the SAMRO Foundation, Concerts SA receives financial, administrative and technical support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SAMRO, the SAMRO Foundation and Concerts Norway.

She advised upcoming performers to know that authenticity wins every time. ENDS