Mankweng musicians make waves with self-produced track
Childhood friends Junior Muhlare and Kalabase Mabulana transformed freestyles in their bedroom into a viral music career with the hit track ‘Lekompo leya America’.
POLOKWANE – Two childhood best friends, Junior ‘PatronWest’ Muhlare, a singer, and Kalabase ‘Gallarbass’ Mabulana, a music producer, are turning a dream that began in their bedroom into a rising musical journey.
The pair, both from Mankweng, transformed their bedroom into a functional music studio after completing matric last year.
Their love for music started early. “Our love for music started when we were still in primary school. As we grew older and moved into high school, we started discovering the genres we really connected with and wanted to pursue,” they recalled.
In 2021, what started as a casual freestyling session quickly evolved into a creative partnership. Their talents naturally complemented one another, resulting in a string of self-produced tracks that built their confidence and following.
Their breakthrough came with the recent release of their hit ‘Lekompo leya America’, meaning ‘Lekompo is going to America’ in a track that has been gaining significant traction across social media platforms. “We didn’t think the song would blow up the way it did,” they admitted.
Mabulana shared how the song came together so effortlessly.
“We came up with the beat in the studio. Junior started freestyling as he hadn’t written anything down. While he was singing, I hit record immediately. The whole session was amazing.”
Muhlare added that the lyrics flowed the moment he heard the beat. “When I listened to the beat, the words just came. I went straight into it, and when I realised Gallarbass was recording, the song was basically done. We replayed it a couple of times while editing, and it just felt right.”
The duo also featured Natiey Lepaka, who, just like them, jumped onto the beat the moment he heard it.
The journey hasn’t always been smooth, especially for Mabulana, whose family initially struggled to understand his passion for music.
“I would always hum beats and play music loudly in my room while working on them. Eventually, they understood and supported me,” he said.
Looking ahead, the pair hope to collaborate with artists such as Naqua Production and Hitboss, as they continue to shape their sound from the very room where it all began.
