Five years later, a legend returned to the Stanbic Music n Lifestyle Festival stage and finds a younger generation already singing his songs back to him
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
The beat drops, and suddenly time folds in on itself. It’s 2026, but it could just as easily be 1984. At the Stanbic Music n Lifestyle Festival over the weekend, a sea of young bodies moved like memory made visible—hips swaying, hands raised, voices echoing a chorus older than most of them. And at the center of it all? Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, 74, still conducting the night like a man who refuses to age out of rhythm.
THE SONG THAT REFUSES TO DIE
“Burn Out” doesn’t just play, it possesses. The early ’80s anthem surges through the crowd, pulling the younger crowd into the same groove their parents once claimed. It’s less nostalgia, more inheritance.
“When I looked at the audience, it almost looked like they’re mesmerised,” Mabuse said in an interview. “I was humbled by the response.”
A LOVE LETTER TO BOTSWANA
For Mabuse, Botswana isn’t just another stop on the tour circuit, it’s history. His relationship with the country dates back to 1968, a time when borders meant something heavier, when music carried resistance in its bones.
“I’ve always loved coming to Botswana… I have a history with this country,” he reflected. “I’m amazed at how much development has taken place. I’m very thankful for the support.”
That support showed up loud and clear young, electric, and fully locked in.
OLD SCHOOL, NEW FANS
There’s something quietly radical about a 74-year-old artist commanding a crowd that wasn’t even born when his biggest hit dropped. In an industry obsessed with youth, Mabuse is proof that timeless isn’t a cliché, it’s a strategy.
“It’s not always the case that older musicians get appreciated by a younger audience,” he admits. “For me, this is very special.”
And he played it smart. No overthinking, no deep cuts gamble, just give the people what they came for.
“They welcomed ‘Burn Out’… thankfully, I was able to perform it.”
THE NEXT CHAPTER
But Hotstix isn’t here for a victory lap. He’s still building. A new album, Ubuntu (Botho), drops this September during heritage month in South Africa and he is writing his memoir that will etch Botswana into his life story.
He’s also got his ear on the ground, eyeing local collaborations.
“I would love to work with Sereetsi and the Natives,” he said, adding that he’s eager to connect with emerging and younger artists he discovered at the festival.
“In fact, what I saw at the Stanbic Music n Lifestyle was amazing. My band and I were actually talking about how the music evolved in different shapes, the singing and the performance of the musicians. God willing, we can collaborate with them,” he said.
“But also, many of the young people that I have met, I will say, please include me in your set. I’d love to perform with you.”