Awards night to follow Botswana Music and Entertainment Week:
In response to whelming interest in this year’s Botswana Music Union’s Awards that is slated for 3 December, the organisers have decided to hold the event at the upmarket Gaborone International Convection Centre (GICC).
Strategically located on the western edge of the city, the Grand Palm’s GICC is significantly ideal to host the awards night because it is more commodious and is counted among the sponsors of the glitzy affair.
Said event organiser Seabelo Modibe of Botswana Music and Entertainment Week: “The GICC and BOMU partnership will offer patrons who will be staying in the hotel a one-stop experience. Our patrons will be able to attend the week long events and the awards after-party conveniently.”
Record-breaking entries
Following overwhelming and record-breaking entries for this year’s BOMU Awards, the nominees will be announced in Gaborone on 3 November at a venue to be announced.
Voting will commence soon after the announcement and go on until a day before the main event at the end of the weeklong Botswana Music and Entertainment Week (BMEW).
“Judging will start on October 25th and we expect our judges to be done with the nominees on November 2nd,” Modibe explained. “We are impressed with the interest from the artists and the turnout this year. We are confident that this year’s awards will bring out the best array of talent that Botswana has to offer.”
Women in Music conference
Speaking about another exciting addition to this year’s music week, Modibe announced that for the first time on home soil, the Women in Music conference will form part of the week long festivities.
The Women in Music conference will feature notable speakers such as the CEO of Warner Music Africa Temi Adenji, Director of Distribution at Orchard Mpumi Phillips, songbird Mpho Sebina, promoter Zenzele Hirschfeld, female deejay Jam-Ni and Mmegi Online Editor Sharon Mathala.
“The conference of the Botswana chapter of Women in Music will be in partnership with Women in Music South Africa, which is a chapter under the Women in Music Business International. The plan is to set up a charter in Botswana and bring in outstanding speakers from here and abroad. Within the evening we will feature a music showcase featuring female artists from around the country.”
BOMU membership grows
Meanwhile, after a countrywide tour, the Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU) recently registered a record 300 new members. Picking up the cue from this, BOMU’s Executive Committee is determined to increase its membership and enhance its mandate of catering for the welfare of artists.
Tickets
Different packages are already on sale at P200 for normal tickets. VIP ticket are selling for P 1200 whilst a night with the start in the VVIP booth is priced at P5500.