Katuta on a mission to unearth music talent

Alfredo Mos’s longtime guitarist, Kapenda Katuta has registered a music company that will serve aspiring local artistes.

He will undertake a countrywide tour beginning February 28 to search for talent. Katuta who resides in Molepolole says there is a lot of music talent in Botswana which only needs to be explored and nurtured.

He discovered this in his many years of playing guitar when young aspiring artistes would approach him to ask how he could help them start a career in music. “I have listened to more than 20 demos in Molepolole and they are raw gems that only need polishing and refining by someone who has an ear for music. I will work with them”, he said.

He spoke to Alfredo Mosimanegape in May 2014 about the idea of helping aspiring artists and how they could help them grow in terms of music. “I chose Alfredo Mos because he is a veteran in music, former BOMU President and has the equipment that we can use”, he said. The talent search will start in Molepolole and run through the southern district in March.

Katuta said that the idea is to help these aspiring artistes in all kinds of music genres be it kwasakwasa, kwaito or jazz and any other music. The idea is to gather these artistes together and train them on intricacies of music, how to start a band, what it entails to record and acquaint them with music promoters who can market their shows and music, as well as acquaint them with the Arts and Culture office.

Alfredo Mos applauded the initiative and emphasized that the intention is to unearth talent and nurture it by exposing youngsters to the youth grants available for starting a business at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.

“Music is a career that can sustain one if practised professionally and so having experience will help these youngsters to qualify for these grants,”, he said.