Shy of 20 years in the music industry, it was not surprising that South Africa and the world are treated to an amazing blend of African spiritual inspired compositions and catchy urban hooks. Pleasant is, witnessing not only a generational artist with ancestral depth, captivating range but showmanship that commands the stage, without being loud or in your face.
Botwe left nothing to chance in her presentation, as she deployed Nelson Mandela Bay’s cream of the musician crop for accompaniment, she was intentional. With SAMA 30 award winning bassist, Edga Kaye Muzah charged with music direction, Tevin Solomon on drums, Mandilakhe Chaga on that “singing” lead electrical guitar and a lad whose talent and approach to artistry I am an aficionado of, Mthoko Mabuza whom I call “Dirty Keys”, the stage was set for a memorable presentation of Nomabotwe’s Hamba Ungemi album tour.
Unmistakable about MaRhadebe on stage and as part of her presentation, is the grace with which she takes on to the stage and remarkably, her amazing fashion sense wheather embracing her Xhosa roots through her majestically flowing traditional dresses or western leaning pieces, you can’t miss her. The traditional piece is a creation of Isintu Modern Traditional Boutique, from Gqebera. The second, an equally elegant rose red and silver beaded piece by Khosi Mkhize’s Johannesburg based Flavors Boutique. For an artist whose journey includes singing backing vocals for the late, great Stompi Mavi, she understands the importance of her image and rightfully claiming her place in this country’s musical landscape as well as fashion.
The album opens with a spiritual ode to uMvelingqangi with “Tarhu Hallelujah” is such a hybrid for a song, blending traditional gospel with African spiritual praise. The project is highly spiritual and draws deeper from ancestral rhythms and harmonies. “Nyanga” and “Bayandibiza”, are powerful testimonies of my assertion about the album’s African spiritual journey.
“Liziwe”, opens up with an acoustically treated electric guitar like solo, as the song unfolds into a mashup of South African greats like Letta, Dorothy and unmistakably a Hugh Masekela influenced, Mama Miriam Makheba. I feel I have digressed sufficiently enough for you to get the gist of the album and will leave the rest to you, to discover and not me to spoilt it.
Victory Theatre, in Houghton was filled to the rafters, as we anticipated, honestly little known to me, a refined Xhosa folk music singer, Kapi Gantsu. Gantsu has this electrifying energy about his songs, yet delivered by a calm yet intentional demeanor. He took us through songs from his two albums, Mkhenke and Nomatile. Mkhenke, a 2021 debut album dedicated to his later grandfather, who was Kapi’s inspiration and the men who spent his last just over R3000 for Kapi to register for his academic degree, features songs such as the catchy “Tshomi yeFake” to the politically charged Azania.
Kapi’s consistency and music maturity is witnessed in his sophomore, Nomatile. Ubomi Bobakho is a perfect example of his range… he once sang female alto lead and a member of a gospel group) but on this song and project, Kapi successfully pushes his vocal ability to rival some of the most soulful yet eclectic South African male vocalists. I will once again not spoil your personal exploration of his respective projects. They are both on all digital platforms.
The evening was hosted by iGqunukhwebe ngokwalo, a man whose bite-sized wisdom has me calling him King Nugget. He is Radio 2000’s afternoon drive co-host, comedian and lover of culture, Isaac Gampu. There is nothing surprisingly far more pleasing than a well prepared Master of Ceremonies, or host. King Nugget, ticked all the boxes while his humour certainly burst a few tight shirt buttons from the crowd.
Nomabotwe’s Hamba Ungemi Album Tour, supported by Kapi Gantsu, will certainly hit more South African stages and like me, you will be introduced and fall in love with the future of our country’s urban folk sounds, presented boldly, profoundly and professionally, by “the ones we have been waiting for”.
Written by: Sizwe Saliso – 24 August 2025
