Gospel powerhouse Winnie Mashaba (pictured) is back with another smashing album entitled Lehlotlo Laka. The singer, who is in the league of legends like Rebecca Malope and Hlengiwe Mhlaba, is happy with the new project which she describes as a “sing-along” album.
“The title simply means that when I am down, or even when I am happy, God is always my refuge. I hold on to Him always, regardless of how I feel,” she said.
For some, gospel music is a chance to preach at the people, but for Mashaba, music gives her an opportunity to share her personal experiences with her fans.
“I relate to this line of thinking because I go through stuff like everyone else but, in all these situations, I have to remember that God is my best friend,” she said.
Although Lehlotlo Laka was made in a record time of just three months, Mashaba admitted that the groundwork had taken her much longer and, unlike her Luddite peers, she embraced technology and used it to her advantage.
“In November I did the final recording, but before that I had recorded the songs in cheaper studios just to get a sense of what they would feel like. I think I enjoy the fact that with the technology we have these days, you can actually have a studio in your pocket as it is easy to download recording apps to your phone,” she said.
“So sometimes I don’t have the melodies but the lyrics and I just say them so that I can remember. In other cases I just have the melodies and I hum them for future use. It is all so easy now. Sometimes you even have a lot of stuff, so much that you forget. Yesterday when I was just playing with my phone I discovered a very good song I wrote a while ago and I forgot to put it on the album. But that’s just as well because I can use it next week,” she added.
So why should you get Lehlotlo Laka?
“I am introducing something new on this album. The title track is my composition and a few other songs. I have also put in about two hymns for people to sing along to,” she said.
Just when you think that’s all that Mashaba can do, you will be surprised to know that she also took a leap of faith and tried something she had never done before.
“We do have a bonus song called Soul To Soul, which was sung by The Temptations. It has a gospel vibe and I gave it my interpretation. It’s the first English soul song I have done and I am introducing this side to my fans,” she said.
• Lehlotlo Laka is available on iTunes and at your music store.