03 Apr 2023

Clap and Tap music is gaining impressive following locally as evidenced by the successful first edition of the Mabaila Foundation Clap and Tap Music Festival in Gaborone on Saturday.

Choirs on line up included Dineo tsa Tumelo Gospel Choir, Ditsala Moreneng Gospel Choir and Universal Khathisma gospel choir from South Africa and had attracted many to Limkokwing University hall of fame. 

While the Saturday event was not the first clap and tap locally, attendance of the other shows previously held across the country indicate that the genre is becoming popular among Batswana. 

Clap and tap music is a gospel genre mostly associated with churches such as African apostolic, Spiritual healing and St John. It engages the use of hand clapping and tapping to derive rhythms alongside vocals for praise.

In an interview, Choir Vice Chairperson of Dineo tsa Tumelo Gospel Choir from Spiritual Healing Church Larry Matlhaga said they were happy that the show was a success. He said the attendance was a positive story of how Batswana have welcomed ‘this kind of gospel music.’

Apart from the show, Motlhaga said clap and tap choirs on several occasions hosted concerts as a way of growing the music in Botswana and for Batswana to know more about it and to take part.

“On March 24 we had our own clap and tap concert where we invited local churches and the concert was a success,” he said.

He said despite the success, they were faced with challenges of sponsorship as most of the choristers were students. 

The Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture Tumiso Rakgare who attended the event thanked the founder of Mabaila foundation Tshepang Mabaila for the initiative. He wished concerts such as these could be held on regular basis for spiritual up-liftment and to bring churches together for the purpose of praise and worship.

Mabaila of Mabaila Foundation said he was on a mission to sponsor young people for tertiary education and help the underprivileged through proceeds of the show.

He also thanked both local choirs and South Africa guests Universal Khathisma Gospel choir for giving an impressive performance.

He embraced Motsweding FM Preacher Mookamedi Tube and his colleague, a recording gospel artiste Brian Mosiapoa for gracing the concert and showering attendants with messages of hope. Ends