Dr Vom anticipates a great 2017
Source : Kutlwano
Author : Pako Lebanna
Location : Gaborone
Event : Artiste feature
As the clock struck midnight to usher in 2017 some heaved a sigh of relief, glad to see the back of 2016 and start afresh, urging on the New Year with, ‘Ngwaga yo o sa nthateng kgabaganya!` chants.
But for Kangangwani Mogocha, the artiste popularly known as Dr Vom, 2016 was a glorious year that will always draw nostaligic memories from him. It was a year that revived his popularity, presenting the perfect stepping stone for what he hopes will be a great 2017.
“I would say that interest in my work as a musician has been revived,” Dr Vom tells us in an interview at the Kutlwano office. “When the president, Lt Gen Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama danced to my song Tsaya Thobane on the eve of Independence Day, that one event just revived national interest in my work.”
It was the occasion of the 50th anniversary of independence, and with the whole country at a standstill, observing the ‘BOT50` golden anniversary, Dr Vom sparkled before a nationwide television audience.
“Since that day, I have been inundated with requests for performances and people want to purchase my old music,” Dr Vom says.
This fits in well with Dr Vom`s plans for the new year.“I had already made plans to release an album in 2017, featuring eight songs including a new, improved version of the album`s first single, Tlhabano, which has been in the market since 2014,” Dr Vom says.
Already a hit song that has echoed in football stands, Tlhabano initially featured Gong Master, but will now include Ditiro Leero, popularly known as DT, an artiste who is held in high regard by Dr Vom.
“In our category of music, I honestly have not seen anyone who is at the level of DT in terms of musical ability and creativity.
In his songwriting and lyrical delivery…” he pauses before delivering a great tribute to his peer… “DT is a genius,” Dr Vom concludes.
He says he will also be working with star acts Vee, O`Neal, Slizer and Amantle. It has been a long journey to stardom for Dr Vom, raised in very humble beginnings.
Hailing from Tati Siding, just 15 kilometres from the country`s second city, Francistown, Dr Vom spent his formative years there and the other northern villages of Dagwi and Sebina.
“I schooled in those villages, and also frequented Marobela where my father hails from. I later moved to Francistown where I completed my secondary schooling at Mater Spei College,” he says.
After formal schooling, Dr Vom would be trained as a musician at the World of Music School in Gaborone, where he was guided in sound engineering and vocal training.
“From 1997 I was studying music in Gaborone, alongside the likes of Maxy and Ashley Gops, guided by the likes of the Ugandan producer Robert Dagirira, popularly known as Dargie,” Dr Vom recalls.
From the year 2000, Botswana`s musical landscape was changing.
In the 1980s, groups such as Kgwanyape, Afro Sunshine and BDF Band had led the way in terms of recorded material, followed suit in the 1990s, but artistes such as Tribal Monks, 3rd Mind as well as Les Africa Sounds.
Dr Vom would join his erstwhile schoolmates Maxy and Ashley Gops in releasing recorded material, as a post-2000 boom in Botswana`s music industry took shape.
“I released an album called Matshediso in the year 2000, followed by Segametsi in 2003. While my music drew from the traditional dikhwaere music, football fans in particular took an interest in my work,” Dr Vom says.
‘Ditsala se re feleleng dipelo, re tsile go tshameka le lona,` the words of a Dr Vom song became on the lips of football followers, as the national team guided by Serbian coach Jelusic Veselin began gaining a measure of success on the pitch, and huge support from the public off it.
In 2007 came Tsaya Thobane, a huge hit that featured his friend DT Leero, as well an Molepolole, another track that generated great public interest.
“The ‘thobane` is a stick and this was used by Moses in Biblical times, guiding the children of Israel from the wilderness towards the Promised Land. T
he stick is also used to reprimand, to bring order. Molepolole also had catchy lyrics…`ke tshaba mama, ke tshaba papa, nkabo ke ikela Molepolole.` It was popular,” Dr Vom recalls.
He feels this was an exciting period of his career, his back up dancers of the time, included current pop sensation Slizer, added to his overall ‘ditedu le dipurapura` image of his trademark beard and stage regalia.
After a period where he seemed to be edging closer to the musical wilderness, the Tlhabano single came out, and with ‘Tsaya Thobane` being a soundtrack of sorts during BOT50, Dr Vom is back on top.
“This year I hope to carry on the success with the new album,” he concludes with a tinge of expectation.
Teaser:
“I released an album called Matshediso in the year 2000, followed by Segametsi in 2003. While my music drew from the traditional dikhwaere music, football fans in particular took an interest in my work”
