This afternoon’s RB2 broadcast felt like a homecoming. Fresh from the Sephonono launch at Botswana Craft, I spoke with the warmth and ease of an artist who knows exactly why she makes music—and who she makes it for. I began with gratitude, thanking listeners for the love that has surrounded the album since its release, and for showing up not only for the songs, but for the spirit behind them.
Early on, I unpacked the word at the heart of the record. Sephonono, I explained, means “a beautiful thing”—a phrase that, for me, captures the quiet elegance of Botswana life: how we gather, how we love, how we remember. The album is stitched with those everyday graces. Its melodies carry the rhythm of tradition; its stories draw from Setswana folklore; its phrasing is lifted by the jazz language she has spoken for years.
The conversation turned to the making of the record. This wasn’t a sprint. It was a year‑long journey of careful choices, late‑night rewrites, and listening—really listening—to what each song wanted to become. I worked with producers and musicians from both Botswana and the region as well as USA, a circle of collaborators who brought sensitivity rather than flash. “Every track had to earn its place,” I said, describing the process as equal parts craft and care.
Heritage, I noted, isn’t a garnish on these songs—it’s the anchoring flavor. I wanted Sephonono to feel like a gathering where jazz meets tradition, familiar yet fresh, the kind of music that makes a room exhale because it already knows the tune in its bones. That intention shaped everything from arrangement choices to the subtle percussion lines that make the music move like conversation.
Listeners were treated to a glimpse of what’s next on stage. On April 30—International Jazz Day—the music steps into the lights for a live launch that promises story, intimacy, and the earthy thrum of a band breathing together. Choosing that date was no accident. Jazz is part of my DNA, and International Jazz Day speaks to unity, creativity, and cultural pride—the very themes I hope people feel as the first notes rise.
The response so far has been, “beautiful.” Messages have poured in from people who found a memory, a mother tongue, or a moment of peace inside these tracks. That resonance has been both humbling and energising. For those who love something to hold, I have prepared limited‑edition autographed CDs and USBs with a photo insert—keepsakes meant to turn listening into a shared moment.
Looking beyond April, the road opens wide: intimate shows across Botswana, radio plays abroad, a media tour in South Africa, and performances that carry the songs to new rooms, new cities, new ears. I spoke about traveling with openness—letting the music meet people where they are—and about the joy of returning home wiser each time.
As the hour closed, I left the airwaves the way I entered them—thankful. I thanked the RB2 team for a generous conversation, and thanked the listeners for walking this road alongside me. Sephonono, I reminded listners, isn’t just an album; it’s a heartbeat shared. “Ke a leboga, ka pelo e e tletseng.”
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