After suffering a career setback and splitting with his Roc Lefatshe stable, Motlha has released a single which he hopes will shoot him back to the top of the charts.
Having dominated the airwaves in 2018 with his massive hit ‘Mma Motse’, Motlha’s career has stalled disappointingly since.
Repeatedly postponing the launch of his debut album, combined with last month’s surprise Roc Lefatshe split, prompted many in the industry to label Motlha a spent force.
However, it seems the 26-year-old’s new-found freedom has reignited his creative juices.
This week the man born Motlha Mompe announced his comeback with the release of a brand new track, ‘Pha Pha’.
Asked if it was the prelude to his long overdue LP, Motlha replied, “I prefer you wait and see. Let us keep it low key for now because I really don’t want to jinx it. All I can confirm for now is there are some exciting projects lined up in the very near future.”
As for going it alone, the My Star 2015 winner admitted he was still coming to terms with the different dynamics.
“It’s quite an experience. I am learning every day and adapting. I guess it will get better with time. We are still on lockdown so nothing much is happening anyway!”
Turning his attention to the inspiration behind ‘Pha Pha’, Motlha told Voice Entertainment, “Truth is my music career needed a move, a big one, just to shake it up. So I had to go for a song that shows my versatility, something beyond just writing good Setswana content. Good Setswana lyrics has always been my strong point.”
Although the language remains the same, certainly there is evidence of Motlha incorporating more of an RnB beat in the new track whilst keeping true to the unique sound that makes his music so distinct. He also stretches his vocal cords, producing a more mature, polished effect.
Released this week, ‘Pha Pha’ has already enjoyed considerable airplay locally. Whether it is enough to catapult Motlha back to the top remains to be seen; it is certainly a step in the right direction, however.
