Folklore musician, Dingalo ‘Kgaladua’ Mokotedi, has released his third album, Ba sotla ka nna, after hard work of brewing what will soon be fine musical wine to the ears of traditionalists.
The music, which celebrates the culture of this country, has come at the right time because this is the month, the season when Botswana celebrates her heritage and culture. The album just embraces what is synonymous of the Setswana culture, composing of folk songs and the local artistry of poetry.
Kgaladua shot to stardom with his famous songs, like Mpena and Kukuru. These songs made him a household name in the industry of traditional music genre which was emerging at that time. It was the time of Machesa, the birth of Culture Spears and the rise of Dikakapa.
It was the time when some talented young musician rose and suddenly faded into oblivion as the growing industry was engulfing them.
However, Kgaladua proved to be a force to reckon with during that time. Only the musically talented could survive and Kgaladua was one of them. Today, he is still relevant and reaching out to his listeners.
The six-track album could be referred to as a ‘lamentation album.’ It expresses grief, pain and suffering. This must, however, not to be mistaken for a contemporary rap of settling scores. It simply shows how our culture can express itself in arts. This is when people take their feelings to the recording studio, just like the days of Ratsie Setlhako, whose music was filled with expressions.
Unlike other artists who express their feelings and emotions alone, Kgaladua shows selflessness in this new album as he involves the nation’s catastrophes and worries in his songs.
In the last album Dikgomo di molelo, Kgaladua lamented the loss of his father, but now Kgaladua laments him being pronounced dead while alive: he sings about rumours, speculations and jealous gossipers.
This is heard in the first song, Ba ntatola. In this song nothing is lost as the Tswana rhythm of drums and matlhoa can be heard to make the exact moribo wa Setswana (Setswana rhythm).
In this album, Kgaladua does not lose his usual element of fusing Tswana poetry with instrumentals to add colour to his unique style. A poem can be heard in most of his songs throughout the album.
Laments can be heard, as Kgaladua tells a sad story of an orphan called Baitae. The orphan has left his uncles, who persecute him. However, a well thought poetry and setapa beat fades away, keeping the listener entertained.
Khutsanyana also has the same traditional folklore tune. It is a feel good kind of song. It can cause one to put on matlhoa immediately, for dance. It calls all Batswana to stand up against diseases that are engulfing the nation.
Setapa dance, synonymous with the Southern part of Botswana, is the kind of dance that this album arouses.
Kgaladua also shows a lot of growth in this album, portraying knowledge of different cultures in Botswana. He merged many Tswana languages in his fourth track Bolwetsi jwa tlhogo. In this song, Kgaladua de-stigmatises mental sickness.
“My fans, the ball is now in your court; keep it rolling,” said Kgaladua in a message on the sleeve of the album.
