26 Oct 2017

Reaching set goals and dreams requires  perseverance and determination and music industry is no exception.

Dipholwana have proven that as they have dropped their first ever album last month after tirelessly working on it since 2015. 

The six track album which was recorded at Noble sounds recording studio at kopong was released just after Independence Day.

Dipholwana is a young upcoming tradional dance group made up of four young men; Thapelo Rannokgwane, Onkarabile Phalanyane who both originate from Gabane whereas Keotshephile Dikole and Thato Batleng hail from Kopong.

The six track album  rich in Setswana proverbs with a title track o dirile jang also comprises of  songs dumelang,lenyalo, dipholwana tota , re timiletswe and Dithubaruba which talks about the most renowned annual cultural event celebrated by Bakwena.

In an interview, the crew explains that they all started singing from a tender age but they met at Moeding College and decided to start a group after they finished high school.

They stated that the name Dipholwana reveals who they really were thus being young and active hence willing to take traditional music and Botswana‘s culture to greater levels.

There is no doubt that traditional dance music  in Botswana stands heads and shoulders above other music genres for its uniqueness, rhythmic and expressive at times that is why the youngsters kept moving forward for the love of traditional dance music until they released their first album.

Despite facing challenges such as lack of resources and funding, Dipholwana strove to live their dreams by not giving up even when they reached rock bottom hence working on the release of the album for such a long time.

One of the crew members Onkarabile pointed out that entering the music industry was not a walk in the park stating that one needed to know why they were doing it because challenges would always be part of the journey but they should not discourage nor hinder one from pursuing what they believed in.

Dipholwana performed on different shows and working with other well-known artistes as a way of building up their profile and a build up to the release of the album as well.

Ramokgwane and Phalanyane said they worked with Nare tsa pula a traditional group from Gabane and they were also working with well-known Mmaratwa even up to date.

On the other hand Batleng and Dikole were working with a traditional dance artiste mostly known as Showa in the traditional music industry.

The crew emphasised that their album was out in the market adding that they currently deliver in Gaborone and surrounding areas and they will avail it to other areas soon. 

The official price for the CD is P50. ENDS