26 Apr 2021

Local gospel artist, Obakeng Sengwaketse has been nominated to participate in the Mogale Gospel awards to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in June.

In an interview with the founder of the awards, Thamsanqa Papa said Sengwaketsi would contest under the best traditional gospel  and best male gospel categories through Nkamogele and The New Dawn tracks respectively.

Papa said both tracks were part of Sengwaketse’s new album titled The New Dawn.

He said Sengwaketse would battle it out against 24 other nominees from South Africa and Lesotho. He noted that the nomination process entailed a series of interviews and assessment of the quality of work and sleeve presentation among others.

Papa said the purpose of the awards was to create relationships that could lead to collaborations among gospel artists across borders, adding that it was also meant to appreciate gospel artists in other countries.

“Mogale Gospel Awards are aimed at recognising gospel artists outside South Africa.Music has no boundaries and we can learn a lot from each other despite geographic locations. It is also intended to expose and nurture upcoming artists,” said Papa.

Meanwhile, Sengwaketse said his passion for music was activated by music lessons he undertook at secondary school, adding that having a Christian background also propelled him to try his luck in the industry.

“I have no regrets on the path I have chosen, and I managed to penetrate the local market and across borders. I am also happy that as most of my songs continue to receive satisfying airplay it is a way to administer prayers to individuals to give them hope and courage amidst their everyday life challenges,” he said.

Sengwaketse said he had managed to produce three albums namely Madi a hae and Go tseba Modimo released in 2013 and 2019 respectively while his latest offering ‘New Dawn’ was recorded at CL Production Studios in South Africa and got released early this year.

Sengwaketse said he titled his new album New Dawn to testify that he no longer lived a life of betrayal, disappointment and anxiety.

“I have been knocked down by everyday life challenges and through it all I gained strength from a scripture in the book of Isaiah Chapter 43 verse 18 which says do not consider the former things, I God I will make a way in the desert and streams,” he said.

He said it revealed to him that there was always a chance for new beginnings hence he felt courageous to work on a new album and titled it New Dawn.

Sengwaketse said the album  consisted of 10 tracks that included Nkamogele, Pela tulo, E setlhabelo, Dithabeng le dithoteng, Sedi laka, Ke a leboga, Rahohang masole, U yenkosi Inxaniwe and Siyakhothama.

He said he featured Nqobile Mbandlwa from South Africa on Inxaniwe and Siyakhothama as a way to level up his game and have an extra mile across the border.

Sengwaketse said Nkamogele was based on the scripture of the prodigal son who went out of his father’s house and later returned after spending all the wealth he was given and that his father forgave him and welcomed him back.

He said he wished to encourage people to repent and humble themselves before God through the song. ENDS