Born in a country which has seen queer representation repressed until just three years ago, Botswana-hailing Motswaferé’s gender and genre non-confirming spirit is an act of radical progression. Off the back of an arrest sparked by homophobic bullying, and an extended spell grappling anxiety and depression, Motswaferé is dropping truth bombs in his music these days.
“Fight That Spirit” comes as a clarion call to all those suffering injustices at the hands of those who will not accept them. A mid-tempo pop-rock experimentation penned while Motswaferé dug himself out of a dark place.
Aggressive vocals, a snappy beat, and a central punch of knife-sharp lyricism leads from the front. Visceral staccato vocalism smacks of Tina Turner and Prince influence, while the rollicking pop-rock demeanour of the track chops and changes in turn, delivering an impressively unsympathetic punch of genre-non-conformity.
The video is black and white, toying with an almost retro quality which likens him once again to his influences. Motswaferé cuts a strikingly androgynous figure – decked out in leather pants, stilettos and a french beret – as he takes things into his own hands, dropping some cold hard sonic truths on a society which has repressed him for too long.
Feature pic supplied by artist
