Botswana’s Hosanna Gospel Singers have brought Dr Tumi into their musical fold, but The Encounter is about more than heavenly harmonies. It is a bold pitch for cross-border collaboration and a bigger stage for Botswana’s gospel music.
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
Gospel might be a universal language, but the music industry still has borders. At GICC this past weekend, Botswana’s Hosanna Gospel Singers teamed up with South African worship heavyweight Dr Tumi for The Encounter (GIA 26), a live album recording that made a compelling case for taking Botswana’s gospel beyond its own backyard.
MORE THAN A WORSHIP SESSION
Featuring 23 choir members, a six-piece band and previously unreleased songs, the recording was as much about musical ambition as spiritual connection. For Dr Tumi, the invitation was an opportunity to help build a two-way street between Botswana and South Africa’s gospel scenes.
“I dont just become a part of every record anywhere but I look at the heart that people carry and what drives them,” he told Time Out.
His interest goes beyond lending his voice to another album. He wants to see Botswana’s artists gain listeners across the border, challenging the one-way traffic that often sees South African music dominate regional playlists.
“It’s not just Botswana consuming South African music its also South Africans consuming Botswana music so there is better collaboration and supporting each other,” he said.
A JOURNEY TO THE ENCOUNTER
For Hosanna, the collaboration marks another chapter in a journey that began in 2009. Convener Nico Matlapeng said the group spent years performing before releasing its debut album, The Beginning, in 2022. The Journey followed in 2024, setting the stage for a bigger swing.
“We then wanted to keep the momentum and take it a notch higher by bringing Dr Tumi to be a part of The Encounter,” Matlapeng said.
The evening brought moments of intimate worship and full-throttle celebration. Dr Tumi delivered “Nothing Without You”, while Minister Leo got the audience on its feet with “Ke Tshepile”, following the success of her chart-topping hymn “Gaufi le Morena”.
With collaborations involving gospel names such as Benjamin Dube and Yanga Sobetwa already under its belt, Hosanna is no newcomer to the regional stage. The four-time Botswana Gospel Awards winner has also amassed more than four million YouTube views.