28 Oct 2013

They started as mere dancers under rhumba guru, Alfredo Mos and later joined Biza Mupulu, still as dancers.

The trio, Gofaone Thapelo, Moabi Tshiamo and Badiri Motshelabola now have their own band called Dipoko Stars and last month they released their debut album dubbed Le tima bana. With the experience and skills they acquired while under Alfredo and Biza, the dancers started hosting mini shows at local bars in Mogoditshane as a way of raising funds to start recording.

It was with the money that they saved from mini shows that Dipoko Stars recorded Le tima bana at Dargie Digital studio. The listenable Le tima bana is a six-track album that includes songs such as Tswa mo tseleng, Kedi, Koloi, Re tshelelang and Re bina Monate. All the songs were written and sang by Dipoko Stars and they are working on the DVD which will feature all the six tracks in the album.

Thapelo, a member of the group, said in an interview that the reason they released this album was to revive the once dominant rhumba music. He said theirs is a classic album which is different from other rhumba music given the way it was arranged and sung.

The vocalist and dancer said they tried to be unique in the sense that with other rhumba groups, one would find that there is a solo lead vocalist but with Dipoko all the three voices lead in all the songs. Gofaone also noted that Dipoko Stars embarked on marketing their product by hosting shows and performing in different towns.  ENDS