13 Jun 2019

Kwaito sensation, Thabo Ntirang aka Mapetla, is back with a new hit single, Santronka.

Following a break since his last offering ‘Phanz Phezulu’, one of Botswana’s kwaito influencers announced he will be releasing a new album in August, which will be his sixth.

Santronka, with a little bit of Amapiano beat, is a sample of what will be Mapetla’s newest album offering with his usual basic kwaito beats and fusion of some new trends.

“The new sound is just to cater for the new fans,” he stated.

Produced by his all-time producer, Kenny Makhenzo, Santronka has been produced both locally at X3Mix Records and in South Africa.

Mapetla said he also worked with various producers like Josto who produces Dr Malinga, Thulasizwe and Sfiso.

He also worked with his little sister, Katlego Ntirang known as Dato Seiko who is proving to be a force to reckon with as she blazons into the industry.

Mapetla declared that he will be working with the renowned Jack Botlhoko on the Santronka music video, and that it will be released in a few weeks.

Of local artists not delivering creative visuals to their fans, he opined it is expensive to shoot a video, adding quality as another factor.

He noted that this also prevents local artists from airing their videos across various media, especially Multi Choice’s of Channel O, Trace, Trace Urban and other music channels.

“My first video on Channel O was ‘Aahh’, and I believe it had something that was fresh and a better quality,” stated Mapetla, adding that quality of music video is the key to penetrate such music channels for broader market exposure.

He also encouraged fellow artists to go out and research on the criteria for music videos to be aired on international music channels.

For now, the seasoned kwaito star said he will be dropping new singles as a build up to the festive album. Although the songs in the upcoming album will be all good, Mapetla noted that Santronka is sure going to be the biggest song for December.

The music spectrum changes with every trend and beats somehow also change.However, Mapetla indicated that kwaito will always be alive, especially with the likes of T.H.A.B.O and himself.

He said new kids like MMP will also take the genre to greater heights as they came in with new ideas and new fusions to the kwaito type and they remain a hit with fans.

Nevertheless, Mapetla acknowledges that kwaito music has shifted a little, ‘it is not that kwaito of the likes of Arthur, Mdu and Daddy Skizo’.

He said they cannot block new ideas, but rather blend in and match the current trends with the old to deliver a winning formula. ENDs