Arts and Creative Industries / Music / 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

2025 Absa L’Atelier open for entries

Visual artists, your moment is here! The 2025 Absa L’Atelier is officially open for entries – a chance for...

Learn French

In 2021, LEARN FRENCH in South Africa and Lesotho in 242 primary and secondary schools, 19 universities, 13 Alliances...

Enhancing Social Action”: the Civil Society Development Fund’s workshop

On the 9 and 10 October 2018, the Embassy of France organised in Pretoria a workshop “Enhancing Social Action:...

Documentary film: “What am I going to eat tomorrow?” The impact of the 2020 pandemic on informal workers in Johannesburg

As part of its scientific and academic vocation, and in the context of the health crisis linked to the...

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.
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
For 30 years IFAS has nurtured a vibrant space for dialogue, experimentation, and creative growth. It has helped tell untold stories, amplify diverse voices, and build platforms for both emerging and established talents to shine. Now, as we mark 30 years of impact and memory, we look back at three remarkable decades of collaboration, co-creation, and cultural connection. And in the words of the legendary filmmaker Ramadan Suleman, here's to the end of Episode 1—and the beginning of many more episodes in the eclectic, ever-evolving series that is IFAS. Video Production and Editing: Adam Heyns Music: NØ FØRMAT! Records
Ahead of the 2025 Series Mania Forum taking place from 25th-27th March, IFAS invited delegates from around the world to join and gain valuable insights from our Audiovisual team and Forum organisers on what to expect and how to prepare for the three jam-packed days of pitching, networking, and high-level conferences.
Organised by SAGES Africa (Services for Africa Gaming & Esports), the Mzansi Esports Champions is a key part of the Tekken Africa Queens Challenge, an innovative initiative which aims to spotlight and empower women’s talent in esports, promoting inclusivity and equality within the gaming industry. The 2024 players were: – eSwatini: Setsabile Shabangu, Sugar – Kenya: Sylvia Wahome, QueenArrow – Lesotho: Liteboho Thebe, EL – Madagascar: Safidy Andrianisoa, Sentaku – Malawi: Matimbe Gweyneth Edina, Gwyn Stacy – Namibia: Asante-Sana Maruwasa, ATMBYTES – South Africa: Zahraa Khan, Iron-Fist – Zambia: Bwalia Nkumbula, LiaRose The Mzansi Esports Champions event is part of a larger strategy by SAGES Africa to build a strong esports ecosystem across the continent. Through strategic partnerships, SAGES continues to empower African players and enhance their competitiveness on the global stage. This project is a collaboration of the French Institute of South Africa, SAGES and rAge Expo. It is made possible thanks to funding from the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. --- Credits: Music: Chipego Producer: Junayd Bradlow Creative Director: Tasmin Jacobs Post-Production: Umar Bradlow Creative Studios: The Magic Pixel & The Ultimate Gaming Champions South Africa
The Live Music Lab is a flagship initiative brought to you by Bassline and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) celebrating a 25-year partnership with the support of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Designed to incubate 15 youths with event and live music theoretical and practical training and work experience at two acclaimed events in Johannesburg’s social calendar: Bassline Fest on the 25th of May and Fête de la Musique on the 22nd of June. Read more: https://bassline.co.za/lab-joburg/
Live Music Lab: Maseru Edition is a two-day workshop designed for young musicians from Maseru, focusing on instrument skills and the business of music. Open to aspiring artists aged 18-25, particularly women, the programme included hands-on training and interactive sessions to help participants kickstart their music careers. Trainees also performed at the Ouh La La Music Festival before the workshop and the Standard Lesotho Bank LETOFE Lifestyle Festival after.
MyFrenchFilmFestival, the original 100% online festival of French-language cinema, is back for its 15th edition from January 17 – February 17, 2025: a unique opportunity for movie buffs around the world to discover the best of French-language cinema from the comfort of their own home. This year, all films in the selection will be available for viewing in their original French version, or with subtitles in one of eight languages: Arabic, English, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese and Spanish. The official selection includes the following films: - A Real Job - Alarms - Alexx196 & The Pink Sand Beach - All to Play For - Along Came Love - Blood Ties - Changing Rooms - GiGi - No Love Lost - Making Of - Mars Express - Montsouris Park - NUBE - Sweet Tooth - The Apprentices - The Dreamer - The Man with a Thousand Faces - The Mysterious Adventures of Claude Conseil - Through The Night - Winter Tune into the festival: https://www.myfrenchfilmfestival.com/ MyFrenchFilmFestival is initiated by Unifrance and proudly supported by the Institut français in Paris and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS).
Organised by SAGES Africa (Services for Africa Gaming & Esports), the Mzansi Esports Champions is a key part of the Tekken Africa Queens Challenge, an innovative initiative which aims to spotlight and empower women’s talent in esports, promoting inclusivity and equality within the gaming industry. The 2024 players were: – eSwatini: Setsabile Shabangu, Sugar – Kenya: Sylvia Wahome, QueenArrow – Lesotho: Liteboho Thebe, EL – Madagascar: Safidy Andrianisoa, Sentaku – Malawi: Matimbe Gweyneth Edina, Gwyn Stacy – Namibia: Asante-Sana Maruwasa, ATMBYTES – South Africa: Zahraa Khan, Iron-Fist – Zambia: Bwalia Nkumbula, LiaRose The Mzansi Esports Champions event is part of a larger strategy by SAGES Africa to build a strong esports ecosystem across the continent. Through strategic partnerships, SAGES continues to empower African players and enhance their competitiveness on the global stage. This project is a collaboration of the French Institute of South Africa, SAGES and rAge Expo. It is made possible thanks to funding from the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. --- Credits: Music: Chipego Producer: Junayd Bradlow Creative Director: Tasmin Jacobs Post-Production: Umar Bradlow Creative Studios: The Magic Pixel & The Ultimate Gaming Champions South Africa
The Occupying The Gallery / Occupying IFAS project, with an artist collective led by internationally acclaimed visual artists, Mary Sibande and Lawrence Lemoana, transforms art galleries into mentoring spaces for a dozen young creatives, offering a platform where artistic creation and learning come together. Their two occupations of IFAS were joined by Mosa Anita Kaiser, Hoek Swaratlhe, Lungile Ngcobo, Sphatho Mzantsi, Bongani Ndlovu, Tatenda Maisa, and Mlondi Magubane. From 16 April to 16 May and 22 to 30 July 2024, the creative platform on the first floor of IFAS was transformed into an artists' residency, positioning the Institute as a veritable creative hub for emerging artists and responding to the desire to support mentoring and training activities – a key focus of Occupying’s transformational agenda. In the first phase, the artists worked over a month-long residency to collectively produce artworks and prints, in collaboration with Artist Proof Studios, which were later presented at the RMB Latitudes Art Fair in Johannesburg from 23 to 26 May 2024. Upon their return to IFAS for a 10-day residency led by French visual artist, Hugues Anhēs, and independent exhibition coordinator and curator, Camille Gajate, joining from Paris through the support of Institut français in Paris and IFAS, the occupants produced Fahla Fahla!. ‘Fahla Fahla!’ is a colloquialism of the act of putting together, a touch, touch here and there, in bits and pieces. A drop of something short and sweet: adding and subtracting when needed to make a whole.
For a closer look at the Création Africa journey, watch the testimonial video featuring the entrepreneurs in their own words. Hear firsthand how the programme has shaped their ventures, opened up international connections, and provided a platform to bring Southern African creativity to the global stage.
For a closer look at the Création Africa journey, watch the short testimonial video featuring the entrepreneurs in their own words. Hear firsthand how the programme has shaped their ventures, opened up international connections, and provided a platform to bring Southern African creativity to the global stage.
THEBE MAGUGU is a luxury fashion brand that offers ready-to-wear collections and explores parallel concepts through multidisciplinary capsule projects. The brand is rooted in education: informing the world about stories and crafts, with each collection named after a university subject. The goal is to purchase premises in Johannesburg that will be used as an incubation, workshop, library, events and café venue.
Subscribe
© 2025 frenchinstitute.org.za. All rights reserved. Site design by Nicework.
View our Data Policy and Terms.