Biography of Selaelo Selota: Age, Songs & Awards

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Selaelo Selota: Biography of Selaelo Selota, Age, Songs & Awards

Selaelo Selota is a South African singer, guitarist, producer and songwriter born near Polokwane, Limpopo in South Africa. He was a student at Karabi High School in Moletjie, Limpopo and studied jazz guitar at the FUBA Academy.

Selaelo Selota Songs

  1. Thrr…Phaaa!
  2. Ma Modiegi
  3. A Poem For Celia
  4. For God so Loved Us
  5. Lapeng Laka
  6. Seshego
  7. Kwa Ndebele
  8. Thando
  9. Hlokomela
  10. Naomi’s First Dance
  11. Nathi
  12. Le Ile Kae
  13. Baya Ndipthatha- Phatha
  14. Mmakoma
  15. Since I Have Known Him
  16. Painted Faces
  17. Enchanted Gardens
  18. Out of My Heart
  19. O Morena
  20. Tshwene
  21. Sekgalajwana
  22. Village Chant
  23. Tshipi Sepanere
  24. Mala A Mpsa
  25. I Wish You Joy
  26. Untold Stories
  27. O Tshwana Le
  28. Ka Leleme Le
  29. Dithabeng
  30. Thusa Hle Malome
  31. Tears
  32. Nkatanga

Selaelo Selota Awards

  • Alumni Award for Contribution to South African Music
  • Song Writer of the Year at the South African Recording Rights Association Limited.
  • Best Contemporary Jazz Album during the South African Music Award
  • Best Newcomer during the South African Music Award
  • Instrumental Category Award during the Old Mutual Jazz Talent Search Competition.
  • Adcock Ingram Music Competition Award, Jazz Category.

Musician Selaelo Selota is part of the #ProudlyLimpopian club, having got his inspiration from traditional elements he hopes will live on in the youth he teaches.

It’s been over twenty years since Selaelo came into the industry with his heart set on making sure Sepedi was represented across the all platforms. However, it hasn’t been easy for the star, especially when traditional music is still largely placed in a box.

Still Ntate Selaelo is all about breaking boundaries.

“I realised that in order for me to amplify my message and identity in my music, it was only going to happen if I stuck to my mother tongue. It isn’t because I don’t like other languages but it is because I knew that if I really want to express my inner feelings, a foreign language wouldn’t do my gift justice,” he told TshisaLIVE.

The iconic guitarist is well aware that his kind of music is reserved for certain shows and, when compared to the “popular” music of today, gets next to no radio play at all. Still he is unapologetically himself.

 He said watching his people live, dance and enjoy life inspired most of his songs and he hoped that through his music some heritage would be protected.

“I hope that my music will be archived and made available for generations to come so they can learn from the way the core of my identity comes through in every song. The rhythm in the Pedi people’s dinaka dance (a traditional dance) for example is something that so unique to my home. If you look at how they support the rhythm of the drums with their dance, you will be amazed.”

Selaelo studied music in varsity and said he hoped to do doctoral studies in music so he can preserve his music. He plans on taking a different approach with this study, making music the medium of communication because “somethings just can’t be explained, people need to experience it themselves”.

He will put it in a research paper that looks at the traditional jazz from South Africa and is 80% audio and 20% writing. Selaelo said the paper will tell the story of the music that fights to live on no matter how much it is “wished away”.

“My music sounds like home. My culture is beautiful and when it meets music, something magical happens. It is a gift that comes with embracing your root. You enter a space whereby it is beyond self, the music takes over and when the mind automatically understands it, it gives off a very rare experience.”

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