Performing at Mpilo will be The Soil members, Luphindo, Theo and Ntsika
Mohalenyane Phakela
MATEKANE Group of Companies (MGC) subsidiaries, Maluti Sky and Mpilo Boutique Hotel, will tomorrow host a show featuring award-winning South African acapella group The Soil at Mpilo Boutique Hotel.
According to MGC Communications and Marketing Head, Mamotake Matekane, the show is meant to promote the group’s aviation company and hotel.
“Mpilo Boutique and Maluti Sky are both new babies in their respective fields, so we are trying to promote them by showing people that they can actually enjoy them as a package,” she said.
“They can fly to and from Lesotho with Maluti Sky and then sleep at Mpilo Boutique Hotel. They can also fly to any tourism destination they want to visit in the country with our helicopter.”
Matekane said The Soil would pilot MGC’s “Vintage Nights” event that would be held on an annual basis with different artists.
“We are trying to be innovative in everything we do hence our decision to take the classic route and host Vintage Nights. We already have a collection of vintage cars which will make our vision a reality,” she said.
“It has always been our dream to host The Soil, but that was not possible last year since the hotel was not yet operational and they had to opt for another venue.”
In addition to the South African acts, Matekane said they would also feature local artists.
“Locally, we select artists that are not yet in the spotlight so the event can be their career break. We also feature artists who have been performing at the hotel from time to time,” she added.
The three-member group last performed in Lesotho in December 2015 in a sold-out show held at AVANI Maseru Hotel. During the show, some of the Johannesburg-based group’s fans were unable to enter the venue as it was filled to capacity.
Consisting of Buhlebendalo Mda and brothers Luphindo and Ntsika Ngxanga, The Soil draws from the unaccompanied harmony singing tradition of South African music, which they have contemporised with a laid-back fusion of hip-hop, soul, jazz and afro pop.
Ntsika told the Weekender this week from his Johannesburg base that Theo Matshoba had been standing in for Mda since January this year since the latter was currently training to become a traditional healer.
He said the show was part of the group’s “#Experience The Soil” tour which began in April this year, with Lesotho being their first stop outside South Africa before they also perform in Swaziland.
“We have been touring South Africa since 29 April under the #Experience The Soil theme in which we perform in various African languages.”
Ntsika said the group incorporated Lesotho in their tour due to the success of their last performance.
“The reception for our show in Lesotho was amazing, with some people queuing outside the venue way before the show started and singing along with us during the performance,” he said.
“It would be unwise for us not to come back and show our appreciation with a better show than the first since Basotho showed us so much love.
“Since our last visit, we have been learning proper Sesotho, and not the type that is mostly spoken in South Africa. So, our fans should expect to hear a couple of songs in Sesotho. We feel very much at home when we are in Lesotho and that will give us the opportunity to learn more of the language.”
Ntsika also said fans should not be worried about the absence of Mda, since Matshoba was up to the task.
“Matshoba was selected with Buhle’s approval, and she has giving wonderful performances. The show will be an opportunity to introduce her to Basotho while we await Buhle’s return in August.”
To spice up the event, he said they would collaborate with a yet to be announced local artist.
“We invited artists from Lesotho to send us clips of their performances. The artist we feel has what it takes will get the opportunity to share the stage with us on Friday, much like we did with Kommanda Obbs last time,” said Ntsika.
“We will rehearse with the local artist or group prior to the show. We might even do a collaboration.”
