Lerato Matheka
MASERU — Auditions for the fourth Lesotho Haeso Music Awards are set to start in Leribe next Saturday.
Musicians will be vying for accolades in five genres — famo, gospel, kwaito, hip-hop and jazz.
The auditions will be held on a regional level with the winners going to the national finals set for early next year.
The Lesotho Haeso Music Awards, a brainchild of the Ministry of Tourism, started in 2007.
There was speculation the awards might not take place this year because of what insiders called “bureaucracy” and “hiccups”.
Last year the awards ceremony was held on July 4, but this time round the organisers had been dithering until an announcement was made on Friday.
Likotsi Lemeke, leader of the awards organising team, told a press conference the awards would certainly take place.
He said they had decided to “regionalise” the auditions for the upcoming awards.
“The competition saw a huge success last year where a total of 41 finalists vied at national level from all the 10 districts,” Lemeke said.
“This year we are going to regionalise the auditions with the exception of Thaba-Tseka, Mokhotlong and Qacha’s Nek which are very remote from other districts.”
This means artists from Leribe, Berea and Butha-Buthe are expected to take part in the northern region auditions set for Leribe next Saturday.
Those from Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek and Quthing will contest under the southern region whose auditions are scheduled for October 23 in Mohale’s Hoek.
Maseru, Thaba-Tseka, Mokhotlong and Qacha’s Nek musicians will have their own auditions in their respective districts.
Winners from the regional and district auditions will then face off in national auditions before the public can vote for category winners.
Last year Khahliso Mphephoka won the gospel category as well as the overall best artist accolade.
Bara ba Manka le Phallang scooped the famo award, with Mthibo taking the kwaito gong.
The hip-hop award went to Katiso Mosoeunyane, with Fatere winning the jazz category.
Audition dates
October 16 – Leribe
October 23 – Mohale’s Hoek
November 6 – Qacha’s Nek
November 22 – Thaba-Tseka
December 4 – Mokhotlong
December 11 – Maseru
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