Staff Reporter
ARTS management and promotions company Harambee Global Records is targeting to sign at least 200 artistes by the end of 2021.
The signing of the artistes will see the company utilising the M4 million investment that has been channelled towards a state-of-the-art visual and audio studio.
Harambee founder, chief executive officer and chairperson, Masitise Seleso told the Weekender, in Maseru this week that his company has seen it fit to invest in the arts sector as a way of contributing to the country’s GDP through youth empowerment.
The music and visual recording studio, that nearing completion, is housed at the company’s premises in the Stadium Area in Maseru and is primarily accessible to all artistes signed to Harambee as well as others from different music stables.
It has various sections among them administration, professional photographic studio, green screen, video and voice recording equipment, control room, recording booth, rehearsal room and an outdoor digital performing arts stage among others.
Harambee has just released a compilation album of 16 various artistes who were recorded at the stable over the past few months. The compact disc (CD) is already on sale at various outlets as well as through the online platforms.
The artistes on the album are Sipho Lukhele, Patrick Matete, Pitso Rah Makhula Tao Tash, Leka Leka and Kamohelo Tshola, who is the son of the legendary singer, Tsepo Tshola.
In addition, Harambee has entered into a three-year agreement with the Lesotho National Broadcasting Service (LNBS) to co-produce and market its TV programmes. Under this programme, Harambee has already pre-recorded a series of weekly programmes under the banner of The Spotlight in which local musicians are profiled. The Spotlight will broadcast after the 10pm SADC News starting from 7 May 2021 and every Friday thereafter.
Seleso said Harambee has written to the Lesotho Music Rights Association (LMRA) to invite the organisation to provide musicians under its umbrella to participate in the weekly programme. He also said individual musicians were welcome to participate.
“The Spotlight intends to provide exposure to Lesotho’s artists and is shot on location at our studios,” Seleso said.
“If interested, artistes should contact our line producer and make arrangements for the pre-recording of the programme.”
Harambee will also be involved in organising Ultimate Radio’s 15th anniversary event on 15 May 2021 as well as the relaunch of the annual Ultimate Music Awards that were last held in 2017.
He said they have established good relations with the Tourism, Environment and Culture and Communications, Science and Technology ministries.
