‘Eska Ponto’ sets sight far
’MAKERESEMESE LETUKA
MASERU – Upcoming artist, Tšepo Moletsane, sees himself on the big screens in the future and celebrated as one of the Lesotho’s best.
Tšepo, known to his fans as ‘Eska Ponto’ started doing music in 2010 when he first met Bahlakoana ‘D4x’ Chokocha. This is the time that he crossed over into neighbouring South Africa to complete his primary and high school studies. He says his mother inspired him into music. They would listen to Afro-sounds from the South African greats such as Matshikos, and Sello ‘Chicco’ Twala singing along to the blaring tunes.
His mother declare to him then that he was an artist. Tšepo has been releasing music in different genres since 2019, the year he says he started taking his music seriously.
He then dropped mixtapes, singles and music videos in no particular order; ‘Nka mpa ka cheater’ featuring Ltweety, Cyber, Molly and Iryson, ‘Kolo-koti’ featuring Jiji-F and L-Tore, ‘Marubele EP’, ‘Koriana ha e lla’ featuring Cityzeen Ls, Uncle Dave and Mr Bagga (Official Music Video).
Then there were Evolution Mixtape Vol.1, ‘Pina Mixtape’ Vol.1, ‘Bophelo ba li-pimp’ (Audio and Music Video), ‘Mahali’ featuring Omali Themba, Iryson. He has recently released an Amapiano Trap Single titled UBBER, Produced by Cyber.
Tšepo says he has always loved music and everything that had to do with entertainment, despite having studied law. “My favourite song is ‘Koriana ha e lla’ because it always puts me back and talks to me spiritually, that even if I try as hard as I do to impress the outside world I should always bear in my soul and mind that ‘ke Mosotho, oa Lesotho.’”
“I have collaborated with the locally well-known upcoming artistes we have a hit classic song currently out with Omali Themba titled ‘Mahali’, he is one of the best talents in the country. “Last year we released an international feature under Keep That Hope Alive Record label with Iryson (Tšepo Maloma). The name of the song is U.S.U.A.L Iryson featuring Eska Ponto and Chad Da Don,” he told Life&Style.
On the local entertainment industry, he pointed out that “the entertainment industry in Lesotho has shown great transformation since 2014, when the MIP came in; and that is when we saw lot of Hip-Hop artistes making it across the border, on International TV’s”. “But 2020 proved to be a year of very big growth to the music industry in Lesotho, with local artistes getting signed by South African labels.
“So there is evolution going on in the industry, and evolution is good and as an artist I am happy we are on the right track as it gives us motivation. “To my fans, we are making it big this year; I hope you are all ready. We are releasing more music videos, dropping an album and getting the music to a greater number of music consumers,” he noted.
“In about a year from now I will be all over TV, worldwide, MTV Base Awards; I am going for Grammy’s. We are yet to make Basotho proud and the world happy. That is why I look up to Cassper Nyovest, also as he is my favourite artiste and businessman,” he said.
A resident of Ha Leqele, in Maseru, Tšepo studied law at the National University of Lesotho and completed a degree in 2017. He is an Afro Pop, Jazz and Trap artiste. He also does graphic designing, audio engineering and visual effects.
