Owning her masters, mastering herself

Having walked through reinvention and reclamation, KB now moves with the calm confidence of an artist fully at home in her craft

- Segomotso Palesa Motsumi

She stepped onto that Joy of Jazz stage in a red, regal number, standing with the immaculate posture only a trained dancer and choreographer is able to hold.

Keabetswe “KB” Motsilanyane sang her heart out on the Mbira Stage, illustrating the musical prowess known to her peers as well as those who have followed her talent throughout the years.

Out of the entire annual festival’s programme, she was among the few African artists whose presence brought back a flurry of memories with her dance moves and magnetic energy on stage.

She had a sensual subtlety, comparable to that of Folasade Helen Adu (popularly known as Sade), in how she chose to travel with the audience, mesmerising everyone with her rapid costume changes, her infectious smile and creative, musical flair.

Motsilanyane has mastered live music performance and it showed with each and every song she belted out, from her previous albums, as well as her latest release Keabetswe.

The 2023 album is self-titled, as is the debut track, which sets the tone of the direction Motsilanyane is moving in.

Similar to her debut album hit song Beautiful Vibrations, the song recalls a time when South Africa's music industry pulsated with sounds of hope, restoration, reconciliation and celebration.

Her music and songwriting ability have not changed since 2002 but the pace has slowed down, taking on the rhythm of a mature piece of art, admired repeatedly throughout time.

In 1995, South Africa’s democracy was just a year old and Motsilanyane was a teenager, with grand plans to be an excellent artist.

She started out in the complex, fast and vibrant hip-hop outfit, Crowded Crew, and with the encouragement and support of her parents, she cultivated a rootedness in the power of education and independence.