Arts and Creative Industries / Fête de la Musique / Live Music Lab Maseru: Empowering Lesotho’s next generation of music talent

Live Music Lab Maseru: Empowering Lesotho’s next generation of music talent

Arts and Creative Industries
SHARE
THIS:
31 December

Live Music Lab, a transformative platform for aspiring musicians, made its debut in Maseru, Lesotho, from 14 to 22 December 2024.

This initiative, following earlier editions in Johannesburg and Cape Town, offered 17 young musicians aged 18-25 the opportunity to develop their artistic and industry skills in an intensive, two-day training programme—free of charge.

Organised by the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), Bassline, and the Alliance Française de Maseru, in collaboration with the Lesotho Tourism Festival (LETOFE) and the U.S. Embassy in Lesotho, Live Music Lab Maseru provided a blend of hands-on training in music performance—focusing on bass, drums, guitar, vocals, and DJing—and the essential business know-how needed to navigate the live music industry.

Participants had the chance to showcase their talent on major platforms as select musicians performed or worked at the Oh La La Music Festival on December 14th, held at Alliance Française de Maseru, and the Standard Lesotho Bank LETOFE Lifestyle Festival on December 21st, held at the Thaba Bosiu Cultural Village.

Live Music Lab Maseru continued the 25-year legacy of collaboration between Bassline and IFAS, fostering inclusivity and excellence in the African music landscape.

Bassline’s Founder, Brad Holmes said:

This programme is more than just a workshop—it is a launchpad for young creatives looking to turn their passion into a thriving career in music. This edition celebrates Lesotho’s vibrant cultural heritage while equipping its youth with the skills and confidence to succeed.

Director of the Alliance Française de Maseru, Elisabeth Douillet, also expressed:

Live Music Lab is about creating opportunities, nurturing talent, and amplifying voices that deserve to be heard, which is a priority for France in Lesotho. Lesotho’s music scene holds incredible potential, and we’re excited to be involved in helping young artists unlock it.

About the partners 

  • Bassline: A pioneer in South Africa’s live music industry, Bassline has supported artistic innovation and cultural collaboration for over three decades. 
You might also like

Unrecorded Voices: South African creatives explore archiving through AI innovation at Playtopia Festival

An exhibition of synthetic archives* crafted by 10 South African creatives titled Unrecorded Voices, offers a fascinating interactive feature...

English Language Assistants Program in France

The recruitment campaign for the English Language Teaching Assistants in France for the 2026-2027 school year is now open...

Using ‘Claymation’ and Digital Arts for Climate Change Education in Morija!

The French Embassy is collaborating with The Hub in Morija, Lesotho, on a project raising awareness and mobilizing the...

Sounds of Southern Africa

Discover the first five episodes of our series entitled Sounds of southern Africa. Music, Empowerment, Freedom. With the help of various...

Let's get social
This message is only visible to admins.
Problem displaying Facebook posts.
Click to show error
Error: Server configuration issue
Twitter feed is not available at the moment.
Join leading scholars on the enduring legacy of Frantz Fanon and the continuing relevance of his ideas on colonialism, race, liberation and decolonisation in today's world.
On 29 March 2026, Fête de la Musique was presented in Cape Town for the first time, as part of Bree Street Sundays. Organised by the French Embassy and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), the event brought free live music into the public space, transforming Bree Street into an open-air platform for performance and exchange. Fête de la Musique Cape Town was implemented, supported and funded in partnership with Bassline, TotalEnergies Marketing South Africa, the Alliance Française of Cape Town, Young Urbanists through Street Experiment SA, Bridges for Music, the City of Cape Town, Mission for Inner City Cape Town and Jazz in the City.
Jean Spiri, directeur de l'IFAS, s'entretient avec Georges Lory et Daphnée Breytenbach à l'occasion de leur tournée littéraire en Afrique du Sud. Pour plus d'informations sur les événements publics, veuillez consulter le site web de l'IFAS: https://frenchinstitute.org.za/arts-and-creative-industries/literature/french-south-african-literature-conversations-tour-daphnee-breytenbach-georges-lory/.
The Création Africa Top 50 is a true reflection of the depth and diversity of the cultural and creative industries! #CreationAfrica2 #FrenchInstituteSA
🎉 Meet the selected Top 50 entrepreneurs for the second edition of Création Africa, from South Africa. Lesotho and Malawi 🎉 Congratulations as they begin a seven-week mentorship journey with UVU Africa and its digital skills and innovation division CAPACITI. 👏
A conversation exploring the impact of the 2025 funding cuts for the HIV response, especially for at risk and LGBTQIA+ communities. The panel will consist of leading experts in the field, both within health research and operating directly on the ground with affected groups.
As part of the French Institute of South Africa’s (IFAS) 30th anniversary, this film turns to Lesotho to spotlight artists and cultural practitioners involved in co-creation initiatives supported by IFAS. Shot across the Mountain Kingdom, it features voices that have helped define the Institute’s work over the past three decades. Directed by Adam Heyns.
As part of the French Institute of South Africa’s (IFAS) 30th anniversary, a visit to Malawi captured the stories of artists and cultural practitioners involved in co-creation projects supported by IFAS. From Lilongwe to Blantyre, the film brings together voices that have contributed to the Institute’s work over the past three decades. Directed by Adam Heyns.
Join us for a special talk by Justice Edwin Cameron and Sohela Surajpal, two of the authors of the new book 'Behind Prison Walls'. Their talk will bring together Michel Foucault's reflections on the systems of discipline and South Africa's experience of incarceration, offering an original analysis: how prisons, far from serving as tools of rehabilitation, become instruments of social control and the perpetuation of inequality.
Launched in 2022 under the France 2030 initiative, the ICC Immersion programme supports French entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industries (CCI) as they expand into global markets. Implemented in South Africa by Institut français in Paris, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), Business France, and Business France South Africa and Southern Africa, the initiative connects French companies with key players in South Africa’s dynamic creative sector. This year’s cohort featured nine innovative CCI companies—Allegria, Atrack (Beam for Music), Agence Culturelle PLUS (Reunion Island), Culturespaces, Fabrik & Moi (Reunion Island), France Muséums Développement, Jakob + MacFarlane, Memorist, and Sound Birth—representing fields from architecture and immersive technology to museum development, cultural consultancy, and music innovation. Altogether, the South African edition fostered meaningful exchange between French and South African cultural leaders, opening the door to future collaborations across the two countries.  Special thank you to the featured sites: Constitution Hill Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation Joburg Contemporary Art Foundation Spier Wine Farm, TRACE Studios Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct Wesgro Wits Digital Dome Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa ----- ICC Immersion is coordinated by the Secrétariat Général pour l'Investissement (SGPI) and driven by the Institut Français and Business France, with support from the Banque des territoires, the French Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. The 2025 edition is implemented by IFAS and Business France in Johannesburg.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), this documentary film brings together nearly 50 voices who have been part of IFAS’s journey over the past three decades. From its beginnings in Newtown to its current home in Braamfontein, IFAS has helped shape South Africa’s cultural and creative landscape through collaboration, exchange, and long-term partnerships. Director: Adam Heyns Producer: Lali van Zuydam Music: NØ FØRMAT! Records
Subscribe
© 2026 frenchinstitute.org.za. All rights reserved. Site design by Nicework.
View our Data Policy and Terms.