Music of Lesotho

The traditional musical forms and instruments of Lesotho are part of a shared inheritance among Southern African nations. It is not clear whether these instruments were brought to Lesotho via the Bantu Migrations, were created locally by San, Khoi, or other peoples, or is a mix of these sources. For example, musical bows appear to pre-date the arrival of the Bantu peoples, but the instruments became more complex after their arrival. Lesiba The lesiba is a type of musical bow that has been referred to as the national instrument of Lesotho by musicologists. It is the most popular of the country's traditional instruments. It has a distinctive sound, and due to its position as a national symbol, it is used in the theme music for national news broadcasts. The origins of the instrument are unclear, but it has been played in southern Africa for at least 400 years. The lesiba is an unbraced mouth-resonated bow, which uses a quill as its vibration source to vibrate its single string. The instrument is approximately long. The neck can be made from wood or metal, and wire or sinew can be used for the string. Sounds are generated by strong breathing across the quill, with the air speed over the quill affecting the frequency of the string's vibration. The lesiba was traditionally used by herdsmen, and individual playing styles may have functioned as identification signals to their cattle, as well as soothing melodies for human listeners. Despite its recognition as a distinctly Basotho instrument, its music and musicians feature little within Lesotho's music industry. The is similar to the ; but instead of a gourd, the resonant chamber is the player's mouth. It consists of a core bamboo or wooden cylinder, on which the mouth is placed, with rods coming out of both ends, connected by the bowstring. The musician plucks the string with one hand while holding the core cylinder with the mouth and the other hand. The is played by male musicians. Other traditional instruments include the , a type of flute; the , a simple bow instrument that was used as a training tool for the ; and the , a jaw-harp. ==20th century musical inventions==

Two instruments emerged in Basotho music during the 20th century—the and the . Koriana Beginning in the 1920s, the (a Sotho language loanword for accordion or concertina) became a popular musical instrument in Lesotho. Though it is only a century old, it is viewed as a traditional musical style in part because the lyrics are in Sotho. The koriana is often accompanied by a drum to form a small band. Koriana music evolved as form of entertainment in small unlicensed bars () in the slums of northeastern South Africa, and intermingled with other African urban music styles in a mix of styles collectively known as marabi. Within Lesotho, koriana-based marabi music would form the foundation of music (see below). ==Popular music==

Most frequently heard on the radio are various sub-Saharan AfroPop styles, Sotho Hip-hop, RnB, Deep house, Soulful House, Dancehall, Jazz, kwaito, and reggae. Famo music, an outgrowth of music, holds the most prominent place in the contemporary music scene in Lesotho. The term comes from the phrase , meaning "to flare one's nostrils", reflecting its active, competitive nature. As famo gained popularity, it also became entwined with gangs. Control and protection rackets for Basotho labourers in (often illegal) South African mines () inhabited the same mining towns as famo music. Over time, the musicians themselves fell into factions, competing for fans and airplay. Two prominent famo performers, Chakela and Lekase, formed rival factions: Terene and Seakhi, respectively. Differences between the factions eventually rose to the level of politics, with Terene supporting the government and Seakhi supporting the opposition party in the late 2010s. In recent years, the groups have splintered into dozens of groups, including internal battles within the Terene faction. In 2024, Lesotho's government banned some famo groups as "terrorists" due to ongoing violence. Gospel music Vocal choirs, which sing church music in Sesotho, are also popular. They range from traditional a capella choirs to groups that mix gospel music with famo, jazz, hip-hop and other influences. Johannesburg in particular plays an outsized role in Lesotho's music scene. For example, Johannesburg's pubs () served as incubators for koriana music. ==Music festival==

The Morija Arts & Cultural Festival is a prominent Sotho music festival, held annually, which highlights the dance and music of the Basotho people. ==National anthem==

The national anthem of Lesotho is "Lesotho fatše la bo-ntat'a rona". The lyrics were written by missionaries François Coillard and Adolphe Mabille, using music from Ferdinand Samuel Laur, composed in the 1820s. It was officially adopted as the national anthem in 1967. ==Selected Basotho musicians==

• Mosotho Chakela • Joshua Pulumo Mohapeloa • Puseletso Seema • Senyaka (rapper) • Sotho Sounds • Tsepo Tshola + Sankomota ==See also==