By: T’soloane Mohlomi
The Standard Lesotho Bank Lifestyle Experience is back again with yet another instalment of the much revered and internationally acclaimed music festival.
After going through a rebranding phase during last year’s edition where the Festival went from being called the Lesotho Tourism Festival (LETOFE) to being called the Standard Lesotho Bank Letofe, the festival this year will look to continuing dishing out a blend of good music to revellers while also attracting tourism to the country.
The festival this year will be on the 23 December and is tipped to be hosted at the Thaba-Bosiu Cultural Village. All tickets are available at Computicket with a special 6% discount for people purchasing the tickets using the Standard Bank card in Lesotho, South Africa and other neighbouring countries.
Performing acts this year include: a collage of artists from different genres as the festival moves from being just a jazz music festival to being a Lifestyle Experience altogether. Performing artists locally on the Jazz side include: Y4 Jazz Band, and ‘Me Mookho, while on the International side from South Africa particularly artists including Jimmy Dludlu and Stimela will grace the stage, while still on SA the Afro-pop side the line-up will include: Mafikizolo, Press and Micasa.
Other international acts notably include Monique Bingham from the United States and trail blazing rapper Cassper Nyovest, from South Africa. The DJ line-up includes local acts Dj Tseko, Afro-DJ, Goldhearted, Mekonko, DJ Mosh and Dj Zinhle and De Mthuda from South Africa.
Speaking at a press briefing held yesterday at the Lancers Inn Hotel in Maseru, Standard Lesotho Bank Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Anton Nicolaisen upon acknowledging the presence of all those present on the day said the Standard Lesotho Bank Letofe Lifestyle Experience had grown in leaps and bounds to reach where it was today, after 18 years since inception.
He said the Blue Bank were proud to be headline sponsors in this festival as they continue to show they’re unwavering support to the arts sector in the country.
“The festive season is here, and as it has been a tradition over the years, I am extremely delighted to inform you that today we are launching the 2023 edition of the Standard Lesotho Bank Lifestyle Experience.
“This festival is arguably one of the biggest music festivals that Lesotho hosts, and we are pleased to continue as the headline sponsor of this music galore that brings moments of jubilation and friendship to Basotho to wind up what has been a long and eventful 2023. In the true spirit of the Slogan of the Festival ‘We live, we love, We Connect’.
“With our sponsorship of this lifestyle festival, I believe that we have made a bold statement as proud supporters of the arts, which is an important part of our long-term strategy. In many countries where Standard Bank operates, we support musical festivals and other arts including the iconic annual Joy of Jazz Festival in South Africa”, he said.
This festival is also one avenue where we express our gratitude to all our customers for their support throughout the year. This explains why we have made an arrangement for our customers to enjoy a 6% discount when they buy festival tickets using their Standard Bank cards at any Computicket outlet in Lesotho and other CMA countries.
The CEO further added that with this festival they wanted to achieve evolution and alignment with developments in the industry, where music festivals are transcending beyond the bounds of music only but have also went on to food, drinks, music, art and lifestyle, while preserving its mandate as a tourism event.
Standard Lesotho bank Lifestyle Experience event promoter Mr Mointoeli ‘Moleli said with the star studded line-up revellers were sure to have the time of their lives.
Also speaking at the event as a partner to the festival, Alliance Insurance Group Head of Marketing ‘Makeabetsoe Mabaleha said as an Insurance Group they were always looking forward to uplifting Basotho and the country in all the activities they partake in. So in sponsoring this event they felt they were playing their designated part in the community.
Ms Mabaleha added that Alliance Insurance Group had been Letofe since way back as a sponsor and they were looking forward to the festivities of this current version of the festival as it now encompasses a wide range of genres which will accommodate people of different preferences in music and tastes because overall they aspired for the unification of Basotho.
Chipping in on behalf of the artist local musician Mr Lebohang Let’sohla from local band Sefako sa Menoaneng thanked Standard Lesotho Bank for the opportunity.