GOSPEL artist Kgethang Konese from Klerksdorp will grace the Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Music Festival.
The highly-anticipated music festival is making a return after a three-year break due to Covid-19.
The three-day event, supported by the Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, is set to run from Friday, 17 March until Sunday, 19 March at Mmabatho Stadium in Mahikeng, North West.
Kgethang has captured more than million South African audience with his unique voice on TikTok and Facebook.
He told Daily Sun that the word of God is his inspiration.
“The industry doesn’t recognise the impact of gospel music and its influence on the community. I am still fighting this,” Kgethang said.
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The musician is aiming high as he plans to have his first live DVD and give back more to the community.
Kgethang said he wants to inspire up-and-coming artists in the North West.
“My performance will be a surprise to everyone who follows me,” he said.
The festival will feature a gospel night, a jazz festival, as well as amapiano and motswako night.
As part of ensuring that the local artists are given a platform, the festival will feature many North West-based singers.
Local artists were organised through activations across the province in past weekend, ahead of the main festival.
The gospel night will be headlined by famous music group Joyous Celebration, with supporting acts such as Bucy Radebe and David The King.
Jazz enthusiasts are set to enjoy the melody of Zonke, Ringo Madlingozi, as well as Setswana Traditional music artists, MmaAusi and Mosekaphofu.
Amapiano will close with the festival, with performances from the likes of Kabza De Small and Maphorisa, Focalistic, Toss and Kelvin Momo, among others.
It will also feature hip-hop and motswako, with Molemi Tuks Senganga, A-Reece, Notshi and Fifi Cooper on stage.
Department of Arts, Culture and Sports Recreation spokesman Shuping Sebolecwe, said Mahika Mahikeng is not just a music festival. He said it also benefits entrepreneurs from small businesses to mainstream.
"The line-ups are dominated by local artists as we prioritize our very own,” said Sebolecwe.
The festival, which attracts thousands of music lovers from outside the province and the neighbouring country Botswana, is set to boost the economy of the province in hospitality, tourism and small businesses.
