Vol 66 April-June 2026 : Social

Young artists in Botswana often face complex and unpredictable challenges in their endeavor to become famous, successful and celebrated musicians.

Every year, hundreds of young and talented artists write good verses and bleed onto the beat, but only a few have their albums bought by music lovers or regularly featured on radio. 

Challenges associated with the road to stardom are usually cumbersome for many upcoming musicians to navigate, leading to some giving up in frustration.  

One reason why it takes long for new artists to gain recognition is lack of visibility. They often struggle to be recognized by promoters and record labels, while lack of access to large platforms makes it hard for them to reach a wide audience.

Without access to media or strong platforms, they remain unseen and unnoticed. They drop good songs in few platforms and go silent. However, the audience plays trending music in the entertainment industry, or the one they have heard and seen. 

“Upcoming artists should try different ways to show their music, like live streams, You Tube and Tik Tok,” advises 24-year-old Lioness Ratang, one local young artist who has successfully attained fame in recent years. 

Despite her obvious talent, Lioness encountered challenges earlier in her career. No one believed in this small dynamo from Rasesa in Kgatleng District, maybe because she didn’t know anyone in the music industry who could help her, or she didn’t have connections. 

Having sung in church and in the school choir during her childhood, Lioness kick-started her music career six years ago with three soundtracks for Mzansi Magic’s Diepcity after a live video audition during the COVID-19 pandemic period. 

That was followed by two collaborations with DJ Shawn Lee, being ‘Pula’ in 2021 and ‘You Love’ in 2022. She initially struggled to gain recognition here because people thought her music ‘was not music for Botswana’. 

“I was struggling to get gigs and there was a point where I thought of quitting, but music is a calling. You just can’t give up, it keeps on coming back to you,” she explains.  

Her big break came in 2024 with ‘Nako Tsele’ song, featuring Casswell P, which hit more than 2.9 million views on You Tube and put her on the regional radar. 

She released her EP ARCHIVES in the same year on streaming platforms alongside her other 2024/2025 drops. It’s the project that helped her land collaboration with Makhadzi this year. 

Lioness, who recently released a single with Favour (feat Lowsheen & Makhadzi Entertainment), is now recognized as one of Botswana’s key voice in Afro-Soul/Amapiano wave.

 “The biggest struggle I am facing right now is finding people to work with since I lost my producer, Casswell P,” she says.

The creative industry is crowded with many artists producing high quality work, which makes it hard for beginners to be seen. 

They may release good songs and still remain unrecognized. Financial challenges can also slow down recognition. Many artists don’t have enough money to release songs and promote their music.

“It’s not about recording music and posting on social platforms. You need advertising, music videos, visuals. Today’s audience wants to see music, not just to hear it from the radio. That means director and products costs, a financial hurdle,” shares Kesego Lysson, a 27-year-old female artist from Mahalapye.

Kesego, who excels in basketball, is exploring her passion for music by singing R&B, Afro Pop and Afro Soul, after getting the inspiration from her retired mother who sings gospel. 

She started as a backup vocalist, working with Ezra Neething as well as Vee Mampeezy before stepping out as a solo artist. She released her first single ‘Pool of Love’ in August 2023, and her EP came out at the end of February this year with a song called ‘Semeche’. 

“Lots of people relate to it because you can find yourself in a situation where you put your all into a relationship, and you feel like nothing can come between you and that person, but then life happens. We are not in control of everything. A lot of people have resonated with that song when I perform it,” she says.

Kesego, who dreams of collaborating with Ezra and Mpho Sebina, says the responsibility is on them as upcoming artists to push themselves. 

However, she wishes that established artists could also help the young ones. Although she hasn’t yet made the stage in big festival, she has been steadily building her presence in smaller gigs across the country.

“I wish I can get a chance to perform in big stages for the audience to see my work,” she says.

“The advice I will give to upcoming artists struggling with recognition is the same advice I always give to myself. Keep on pushing no matter how hard it is, keep advertising yourself as best as you can. I know funding is an issue, but keep recording. Make time to send proposals to corporate business, and when they see your portfolio you may end up getting calls and bookings,” she advises. ENDS

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