03 Jun 2019

Folk music has over the years been an essential component of Botswana’s musical culture and this traditional genre continues to be an integral part of the intangible heritage, which has embedded in people’s minds and memories.

In the past, folk music was the toast of the music industry and of late, the future seems bleak for this genre as the young generation seem to be more in to up-tempo urban music rhythms.  

Gone are the days where Radio Botswana folklore programme, Dipina le Maboko brought the nation to a standstill as it used to be a fountain to quench its devotees’ thirst every Sunday morning.

One ballad that used to be on high rotation, not only on the then famous folklore programme, but also on other playlist is Rebabedi written and performed by Anafiki Ditau.

Released in 1982, when she was only 13-years-old, Rebabedi serenated the masses in the oldies with lyrics that are more centered on love, commitment and devotion hence turned Anafiki into a household name. 

The song, however diminished from the airwaves for a while, but as the years rolled on, it was apparent something missed on the airwaves, until Rebabedi recently premiered on local radio stations, but this time around executed with a more jazzy vibe by a renowned songstress, FifiAfrika.

FifiAfrika’s soothing voice needed no introduction to airwaves as she first made a breakthrough in the vocals of Dj Ski Vs Big Dawg hit singles titled, Why you come here and felling uneasy and also appeared on T.H.A.B.O’s debut album and BK Proctor’s master piece album on the title track.

With her popularity steadily rising, it is clear that keeping the public guessing is her winning strategy, whether she is doing cover songs and working on a personal album, her infectious love for music and life in general is undeniable.

The remake of Rebabedi is even posed to upsurge Fifi’s stardom to even higher platforms as she worked with award winning producer Berry Bone, who was awarded for Mafurafura with Han C on the vocals.

“I firstly performed the acoustic version of Rebabedi in November last year and shared it on social media.

I was astonished by the overwhelming reception it received, which lead me contacting Anafiki for an official contract agreement for a remark of the song,” says FifiAfrika.

It is always a daunting challenge, she said to do a remake of a such a classical folk ballad, which many can relate to. “You always have to be cognisant of the fact that the audience will always compare the remake with the original version hence it keeps you on toes to pay attention to finer details in order to maintain the original song legacy,” she said. The Rebabedi video has also been warmly received as it received over 1 000 views on YouTube within its first week of upload.

Shot in the dunes of the famous Khawa village, the video does not only narrate the story of two love birds in the middle of Kgalagadi Desert, but also showcases the serenity and breathtaking landscape of the area. ENDS