Punah’s Silver Jubilee Concert for October
Larona Makhaiza | Sunday September 22, 2024 06:00
The event is billed for October 12 at Joy City Park, Tsholofelo in Gaborone. In an interview with Arts&Culture this week, the artist who is celebrating 25 years as a musician shared that she saw it befitting to celebrate this feat in style. She indicated that reaching this milestone in the music industry is not a joke, especially in Botswana where the industry does not even reward handsomely like in the neighbouring country, South Africa. “The idea behind Her Silver Jubilee Concert is to celebrate a significant milestone – my 25 years in the music industry. It is a moment to reflect on my journey, growth and contributions to Botswana’s music landscape,” Punah Gabasiane said. The Iyoo Nna singer stated that she decided to name the event Silver Jubilee as its conundrum speaks exactly to what the event stands for and what inspired the event in the first place.
“The name Silver Jubilee is symbolic as silver represents 25 years of commitment, passion, and resilience. This concert not only marks a personal achievement but also aims to inspire upcoming artists and give back to the community with proceeds,” raved Punah Gabasiane. She stated that some of the proceeds will go towards unearthing next talents as they target Motswedi Rehabilitation in Mochudi, which focuses on supporting talent development. Though the silver jubilee is in its first edition due to the 25-year celebration, Punah Gabasiane elaborated that she wants to build on the event and venture into hosting annual jazz events. “While the silver jubilee itself is a one-time event, I also plan to launch an annual JAZZIN’ UP music concert. This will focus on discovering and nurturing new talent in Botswana, both vocalists and instrumentalists as part of expanding my mentorship programme,” she shared.
While Jazz is not a dominant genre in Botswana, Punah Gabasiane revealed that she is unperturbed that the event might pull a small crowd as in her view they have put out all stops to ensure that October 12 goes well in all aspects. “We have put careful thought into ensuring that we pull off a pleasing crowd by targeting a diverse yet local fan base that has followed my music throughout the years,” she said. In terms of the preparations, she stated that everything has been sailing well on their side and they have made sure that people know about the event through their activations and working closely with media houses, which can reach a large audience. Some of the artists in the line-up include Sereetsi and the Natives, Banjo Mosele, Socca Moruakgomo, Shanti Lo, Nono Siile and many more. Ticket sell for P150 General, P250 Double and P500 VIP.