Artist Gabe Lestswalo is a breath of fresh air with his unique folk music sound fused with poetry and raging

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

I met Gabe Lestswalo for the first time four weeks ago at a book launch at Breezeblock, a cool place in Brixton that is multi-purpose, housing an artist residency titled LAPA, a Pan African bookstore called Lit.Culture and a restaurant. At the time, Letswalo spoke animatedly about his upcoming gig at the same venue, a performance of poetry and folk music.

Indeed, that gig happened on Saturday, March 22, 2025. It was an eye-opening performance that first saw Letswalo before he was joined by his clearly talented band go through a raging moment about the gloomy state of affairs in the world in which the future does not look that promising as opposed to what Afro-futurists say. He was setting the stage for what became a one hour of performance that was remarkable.  The gig went by the apt title of Futures of Evil. His is a king of folk music style that has been missing on popular stages for quite sometime. If you would like to imagine Letswalo’s repertoire, think of the late Philip Tabane, the founder of the iconic folk sound of Malombo. Also think of the style and sound of Dr. Sello Galane’s Free Kiba sound.

Letswalo delivers his lyrics in flawless Sepedi and his band’s delivery is flawless too and refreshing. If one is serious about alternative sound that you will easily connect with, this is it. Lestswalo and his band are currently crafting something new and fresh on the local music scene, long dominated by jazz, Afro pop and amapiano. His sound is Afrocentric, and therefore centering folk music in a refreshing fashion.