The Atteridgeville and Mamelodi afro soul trio Encore has captured hearts with their Setswana ballads.
Guitarist Kabelo Thomane, vocalist Keabetswe Kototsi and pianist Peter Letswalo met in Pretoria while study-ing music.
After discovering their musical connection, they never looked back. Since then, they have performed at several events and festivals around the country and have been nominated for Best Group at the Metro FM awards.
Mina Nawe is their latest single which features South African Idols alumni Amanda Black. The trio spoke to The Star about the single.
The Star (TS): Why have you chosen to express yourselves in
Setswana?
Encore (E): It came naturally, it wasn’t a choice. While creating music the writing came to us in Setswana, our home language, so we let it flow.
TS: What is the song Mina Nawe about?
E: It is an African love song narrating a love story that survives against all odds when two people choose each other and their love.
TS: Why was Amanda Black the perfect fit for the song?
E: For years, we have promised to do a song together. As fans of her work and being ultimate, we finally settled on a date and went into the studio without a plan or structure.
TS: How did you go about recording the song?
E: We recorded this song before lockdown, but had to finish it during the regulations. It was a lot of phone calls and emails, but it finally happened.
TS: Is there an album in the works?
E: Yes. We are working on our third studio album to be released in spring.
TS: How would you describe your musical journey so far?
E: It’s been a blessing. We have learnt a lot from our mistakes, winning a Sama Award, the wonderful collaborations, and understanding the importance of music production.
TS: What are your views on the current state of the music industry?
E: It is a challenge - from learning the digital era to being in the middle of a pandemic, but we will overcome.
TS: Where do you see Encore in the next few years?
E: We will still be creating beautiful music, working with more African artists, reaching more people with music, and spreading love.