Interviews | 25 January 2022 13:06 CET

A Time Out With Lucia Dottie, The Botswana Superstar On A Global Journey.

By Emmanuel Daraloye

Lucia Dottie is one of the brightest stars from Botswana. I came across her music in October 2021 via recommendation from a friend. Her emotion-driven album “Libonile” served as my exposition into her craft. Artists all over the world are known for leaving some fragments of themselves in their music, Lucia Dottie is not an exception.

In a 47 minutes spin, Lucia Dottie explored topics like love, betrayal while also sampling South Africa's deep house music genre called Amapiano. She made a return with another Amapiano driven song towards the end of last year.

Born in Borolong village in the northern part of Botswana, Lucia Dottie has always been a culture and tradition, conscious soul, no wonder she got her break via a collaboration with her childhood idol “Culture Spears,” —a Tswana traditional music group. On social media platforms, she has embodied these elements. It ranges from her costume, language, and the cultural placement of her brand.

With about a six-hour distance between Nigeria and Botswana, we had to make use of the internet for an in-depth interview with this superstar. Lucia Dottie bares it all as she revealed what she has in the work for 2022, the reception “Libonile” has gotten so far, childhood music hero, and more.

Enjoy.
Emma: I listened to your last release “Nkhanyisele,” it is Amapiano driven and I love it. What is the inspiration behind the song?

Lucia Dottie: This song is deep and inspired by real-life situations, I have helped people in their music industry, and some turn out to be enemies but all I want is grace and protection from above and strength to keep me going

Emma: Your second studio album “Libonile” is a fusion of sounds, what's the concept behind the album?

Lucia Dottie: Libonile is fusion, yes, most of the songs in the album talk about love, betrayal, the sweetness o,f it, and hope. Every person have once been hurt and some gone due to depression so my music is therapy on its own

Emma: What was the creative process like for this album?

Lucia Dottie: My mood drove the whole concept, the instrumentals, were being driven by the emotions which were in the song. My produTheatie Sghubhu had to put Afrisoundsound so that people can easily attach to the emotions, doing night sessions at the studio, while people are asleep, no extra sound to destruct was an amazing process that them the sound so unique

Emma: How has the reception been like so far?
Lucia Dottie: So Iar I am receiving positresponsesonse from people both in Botswana and outside Botswana and that to me is a sign that my music is taking a different direction

Emma: For the new audience, who is Lucia Dottie?
Lucia Dottie: Lucia Dottie is a Kalanga lady from Botswana who hails from a small village called Borolong in the north part of Botswana. I pride myseonith my culture, tradition, norms, values and my strength lies in using different African languages, strong voc,als and Fusion in my music

Emma: Growing up in Botswana, what kind of music did you listen to and how has that shaped your sound so far?

Lucia Dottie: Growing up in Botswana I use to listen to Culture Spears which is one of the best traditional dangroupsoup in Africa aId I ended up collaborating with them in 20nd the songs we performed very well liLevantente, bare ngwana ga se wa, aka and malebeswa. I looked up to the late legend Oliver Mthukuzi by following himlearnedrnt never to give up in life, and that talent can never be taken from you, explore and believe in myself, I also grew up listening to Zahara from South Africa, Flavor from Nigeria, and also a lot of South African gospel musicians, Benjamin Dube, joyous celebration this legends shaped my sounds, the use of African sound that brings African feel in my music and the vocal notes

Emma: Do you have anyone you might like to work with in the future?

Lucia Dottie: I would like to work with international musicians the likes of TiSavageage, Flavor, ATI(Botswana) Makhadzi

Emma: When I listened to your song, I discovered you are deep, the writing, sounds, was that deliberate?

Lucia Dottie: yes it was deep, and it was deliberate, I wanted to focus on people's emotions

Emma: What's the plan for 2022?
Lucia Dottie: 2022 should be the best year, I will be dropping single every 2 months, I will be hosting an annual event that is yet to start back home, I would make a lot of international collaborations so that I take my music to the people not only locals

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