Silence Charumbira
In the last 20 years, the Standard Lesotho Bank Letofe Lifestyle festival (Letofe) has helped the local music sector grow exponentially, songstress, Mookho Moqhali has said.
The singer and lawyer, famously referred to as Mookho, was speaking on Tuesday during the launch of the 2024 edition of the Standard Lesotho Bank Letofe Lifestyle Festival, penned in for 21 December.
She said associating with the festival over the eight years that she has performed at the festival had proven to be beneficial. It has helped her get bookings in the United Kingdom, where she was previously based, because show organisers knew she had performed at one of Lesotho’s premium festivals.
She said she was thankful for the private sector’s (Standard Lesotho Bank and other partners’) investment in the growth of “the creative arts space with the aim of curbing unemployment”.
Most artistes were dependent on music, on the creative arts to earn a living.
“And I should also state that because this is a big platform, it’s not a platform that you get in and out of with empty hands, I am thankful on behalf of the industry because we are growing exponentially.
“The other important matter is that this is one of the festivals that develop female artistes.,”Mookho said.
Unlike other festivals, Letofe was not just male dominated and its line-up over the years did not represent a boys’ club, she said. Such balance was commendable, she said.
“I can safely say, in as much as the males are growing, the females are also growing in the industry.”
She said artistes also used the platform to express their gratitude to the nation for their support.
The festival, also sponsored among others, by Alliance Insurance Company, is celebrating two decades this year. Alliance Insurance Company’s public relations and corporate communications manager, Maki Mokobocho, said Letofe was not just about having fun. It was also about economic growth and the economic spin offs from the festival should be cherished.
“We are able to bring people from far and wide…some look for lodgings in and around Maseru while they also pay toll fees on entry at the border. Those are all economic spin offs for the country,”Mokobocho said.
It was therefore to launch a proper research to understand the economic effect of the festival.
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The impact on the artistes who get an opportunity to showcase their talent and “also to rub shoulders with the best” was also immense as younger artistes got the opportunity to “crosspollinate” with renowned artistes.
Standard Lesotho Bank brand and marketing manager, communications and sponsorships, Manyathela Kheleli, said the event had continued to grow and would by next year have been completely transformed into a lifestyle event.
“You may have seen glimpses of it (transformation into a lifestyle event” but you are going to see more going forward,” Kheleli said.
The line up for this year includes Lira, Sipho Hotstix Mabuza, Master KG, Samthing Soweto, Nkosazana Daughter, Selimo Thabane, Ntate Stunna, Maleh, Eemoh, Omali Themba, Apollo Ntabanyane, Mookho, Sannere and Morena Leraba.
