13 Jun 2021

A visitor to Tshimoyapula village in the Central District is bound to hear about a certain Onalethata Lebogang.

The 32-year-old  has made a name for himself through the way he skillfully a guitar, whose flair  often arrests the attention of admirers. In an interview with BOPA recently, Lebogang said he fell in-love with a guitar when he started his junior certificate at Mmashoro Junior Secondary School.

He was studying Art and used to make guitar drawings and also took music lessons at school, which intensively fueled his love for playing the instrument. He said he bought his first guitar after finishing his junior school in 2006 and started his intense practice.

Moreover, he sings and dances along as he plays, as he connects to his music.

The passionate guitarist said he had the privilege of being part of a band called Animo Band in Selebi Phikwe in 2009. Unfortunately the band dissolved not long after it was formed, and he decided to go solo.

Lebogang mentioned that he worked with the likes of Phika Ditsebe, a fellow guitarist from Lerala.

He explained that his parents were also part of his musical journey, as they supported him financially. According to Lebogang, he does not manually write his songs, but words come to mind as soon as he holds his guitar and starts playing. Maofiti is one of the songs he composed in that manner.

He explained that the song talks about a Honda Fit car and the sarcastic remarks associated with it. Another song is titled Dialarm, and with it he feels that when God created human beings he ‘‘forgot to attach alarms that alert them when something happens like cheating in love relationships.

Lebogang stated that he had participated in several competitions at constituency and regional levels. He also participated in the  President’s Day competitions, but had not won any award.

He noted that playing a guitar was his only source of income and before the COVID-19 pandemic he used to make a fair living by playing in events such as weddings and parties. ENDS