- Locally grown concept hosts first international gig in America
- Mpho Sebina is back in the studio
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
Songbird Mpho Sebina kicked off the new year on a positive note in distant lands where her music concept, Naked Soul, staged its first international gig in Washington DC, USA last Sunday in a free entry gig featuring only the ‘Tsela Tshweu’ hitmaker.
“I was on a two-week vacation that ends in Washington DC and thought it would be a great opportunity for myself and Naked Soul to plan a showcase whilst we are out there,” she told Time Out in an interview.
Intimate evening of soul
“I reached out to my network, which introduced me to Home Rule Music and Film Foundation whose main aim is to promote local Washington DC talent through music and film. We had a few virtual meetings and they agreed to host and sponsor Naked Soul in their record shop.”
Graced by a diverse crowd, revellers were treated to an intimate evening of soul while appreciating Setswana through the artist’s music. Mpho said it was always important to connect with new audiences beyond Botswana and South Africa, which have been her base over the last few years.
“It’s time to grow and include other markets,” she noted. “Naked Soul is now a global event and we hope to be curating experiences in other parts of the continent, West Africa in particular, and Europe.
“This is a great opportunity for me to build relationships with the Washington DC market and network with other artists and venues in the hope of creating a future base for both myself and Naked Soul.”
Naked Soul concept
Naked Soul aims to promote Botswana music artistry in various setups – from intimate candlelit ambiences to its most recent picnic. They are designed for music lovers who want to enjoy carefully curated experiences that focus on local music.
The year 2023 will be the seventh of Naked Soul in existence and it has already worked with the crème de la crème of the music industry, including Kearoma Rantao, Han C, Shanti Lo and Samantha Mogwe.
Mpho admits that it has been a difficult journey to grow the brand independently and they look forward to collaborating with corporations in creating some magical concepts for Batswana.
She asserted: “I am back in the studio this year working on new music. I’m excited to be working on collaborations with female artists from across the continent. Naked Soul will also be working on experiences throughout the year featuring local artists and some from other parts of the African continent.”