By Obakeng Maje
Taung-North West Cultural Calabash comes alive at Taung coverground where revellers will be served to various genres of music, but on Sunday gospel music fanatics will be mesmerised by local gospel singer Shobi Reetseng who will share stage alongside Hlengiwe and Benjamin Dube.
Shobi Reetseng was born and bred at Manthestad village in Baga-Maidi circuit near Taung 35 years ago.
Shobi said he began singing in youth choir at Roman Catholic Church at an early age.
“The gospel music has a measure of strength, might and potency. It revealed humanity in times of severe, brutal, and relentless hardships” he said.
Shobi was inspired by the late Vuyo Mokoena and said gospel music is a place of inspiration.
“I grew up with that passion for gospel music. And back in 1997, we went to Mmabana Taung for music competition and amazingly the late Vuyo Mokoena was there. I was very inspired by his words and decided to take my career very seriously” Shobi giggles.
Our crew asked Shobi why he chose gospel music over other genres. He swiftly responded and said gospel music have measure of strength.
“The Gospel Music experience cannot be told in a short story, or even in a melody of songs, for it is far too rich, far too harmonious and deliberately stimulating” he outlines.
Manthestad-born singer’s music career started to take shape when he released an album called “Motho Wa Lefatshe” that received a massive play on different radio stations across the country.
A sassy voice singer explains why he labelled the album “Motho Wa Lefatshe” and revealed challenges he went through life and how he dealt with trials and tribulations.
“Some of the most beautiful music of all times was born out of intense grief and suffering, and my album called Motho Wa Lefatshe is no exception. The album reveals challenges the person goes through in life”
“Whatever one does in life, whether good or bad people always have something bad to say about you. And putting trust in God, one will never go wrong” Shobi said.
Reetseng started school at Moshosho primary in the area and later went to Walter Letsie High.
He said education is very essential aspect and advised the youth to take their studies very seriously.
“To all up and coming artists must know challenges they will be faced with and my advice to them is, they must be passionate and love what they doing”
“I would love to have my own stable in five years time because Taung has abundance of talents,but with no exposure. So helping young artists is the least I could do” Shobi said.
Motho Wa Lefatshe fame singer will be sharing stage with world renowned gospel gurus like Hlengiwe and Benjamin Dube on Sunday.
“Sharing stage with world renowned is a living experience, so gospel is always changing, always giving, and always becoming the foundation that gave moral, physical and spiritual support to a great and powerful people, so I’m looking forward to that” he said.
There has been no other event in history of Taung that has been more compelling, convincing, or persuasive than North West Cultural Calabash.
And to many people gospel is Alpha and Omega of
God’s spiritual principle that plays upon the keyboard of mans integrity.
It is a resonance, an echoing sound throughout the ages that has surrendered the wonders of God’s Almighty creations.
“The past has revealed to us that all its secrets, and the future hangs over us like the mist of the morning, but the present is as clear and distinct as a mid-day sun” Shobi said.
He said the songs he wrote is for the emancipated people and give them courage through their difficulties and disappointments.
Even though Shobi is not signed to any recording label, he writes his own music.
A 35 year-old singer said he is still single, but is seeing someone…so ladies back off.
Shobi said he really appreciate a support he receives from his family and his fans at large.
He is busy working on a new album and promise fireworks on Sunday.
“My music carries them through the reconstruction period, desperate circumstances controlled our lives; despair and hope, life and death; but my music mirrored our predicaments as a collective group of people, it reflected upon our social status, and eventually reverberated in our made up minds that God was indeed on our sides” he concludes.-TDN
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