Mpule Mokhali in a comeback bid

GASEBALWE SERETSE
Staff Writer | Thursday November 22, 2007 00:00

 

There was a time when the Mokhalis rode a crest of glory and were the darlings of Batswana music lovers. Johnny is most certainly one of the artists who pioneered Setswana folk music in both Botswana and South Africa in the early 80s.

Mpule has fond memories of when she first saw her former husband. She said they first met when she was still a student at Tselakgopo Middle School in Letlhakane, South Africa. By then Johnny was a struggling artiste and their love-story sounds like a typical high school romance. The youthful Johnny was looking for a girl, so he sent his female friends to scout for one and Mpule became their ultimate choice. After months of cajoling Mpule agreed to go out with him and that was to lead to greater things. The 44-year-old says that she and her former husband complemented each other well in that they were both budding musicians.

'Johnny would write his songs in Sesotho and I would translate them into Setswana because most of our fans were Setswana speaking,' recollects Mokhali. In all the albums Johnny released when they were together, he perfomed the lead vocals while Mpule backed him. In the late 70s, Johnny Mokhali released a debut album that got a lukewarm reception. The artiste later got a breakthrough with the album Mpule, which was dedicated to Mpule. However, it was the album Lorato ka mogala that made Johnny a star.

Some of the favourite songs in the album were Modimo o phala baloi and Rorisa ka bokgoni. Lorato ka mogala was an instant hit and the Mokhalis were treated like royalty during their Botswana tours. Theirs was a match made in heaven and their fans talked about how much the two complemented each other. Other albums followed but towards the dawn of the 21st Century, the star of the Mokhalis started to wane and so did the marriage.

Although Mpule would not dwell much on the issues surrounding the split, out of respect for her former husband, she mentions that a third party was involved.

Just before she left her husband, she penned the gospel song, Ga nkitla ke tlhoboga morena. Despite the fact that the song was good, it was in one of Mokhali's albums that did not do well on the market. 'I was so devastated by the break-up that I stopped all involvement in the music business for a long time,' says Mokhali.

As if that were not enough, rumours started flying that Mpule had deserted the 'bankrupt' Johnny Mokhali for the 'better-off' late South African reggae king, Lucky Dube.

Mpule says that she was greatly distressed by such rumours because she has never, ever met Dube in her life. 'I was shocked to hear all that because I never shared the stage with Lucky Dube,' said Mokhali.Mpule says she did not have much contact with her ex-husband because they had no children between them. Martin Khupe has filled the gap that was left by Mpule's former husband in as far as her career is concerned. The youthful Khupe has fond memories of the time when the Mokhalis took him under their wing when he was still an up-and-coming musician. The couple taught him all he knows about music so he thought he should help Mpule resurrect her career.

'I consider Mpule as a mother and a mentor. I believe that if you merge two gifted people, you can come up with something explosive,' asserts Khupe, who is a well-known artiste in his own right.

The duo has formed a group and released a group-titled album called Mebala Cultural Club. The album contains Mahututunana, Tlou e tona, Xwaba xwaxwaaa, Kgomo khunwana, Morubisi, Pula, Ntsanyana, Bangwaketse, Sananapo and Mosetsanyana. The duo see themselves as pioneers of Setswana traditional music in South Africa where they already have a following, which is limited to the North West province though. Mokhali and Khupe say that they are well aware the genre that they are venturing into is already getting saturated but they do not feel intimidated because they believe they have everything they need to make it.

Appealing to Batswana of Botswana to support them Khupe said: 'We are your children and we have been inspired by you. Please support us.'