“Flowers are like the pleasures of the world.

When you give flowers, you smell heaven’s perfume.”
 

Don Laka has been wearing a humdinger of a smile over the past few weeks and the reason for that is: Palesa - an incredibly awesome trio of beautiful singers he’s just uncovered, and is ready to flaunt with pride.
 

Palesa, hail from Mamelodi, near Pretoria. Don himself is from Mamelodi and it would appear that promoting musicians from this sprawling township is one of his top priorities.

One of his new stables, Slam Records, recently released Sebenza, an album by the group, Jam Tribe, also a trio of guys from Mamelodi. But it is Palesa that the Don seems most excited about. Made up of sisters, Monki and Evy Mojaki plus Mapitse Nkgapela, Palesa was formed in the first week of this year. Their name was decided upon by the Don himself. It is Setswana for a flower, especially a very beautiful one. The album they are working on is called Promise, which will be released this Valentine’s Day.

Already their hit single, Bana Ba Sekolo, is being played regularly on both Metro FM and YFM.

 

All of the songs on the album were written by Don Laka.

So confident is he about the potential commercial success of Promise, he predicts it will be only a mater of weeks after its release, before it reaches double platinum status.

“It has been amazing working with these ladies,” says the Don, “and I think it’s very much due to their professional approach to work that we have this gem.” Laka also sings praises of the women’s voices and their mind-blowing technique.
 

This should not come as a surprise though, as each of the girls has been singing for years now. Monki has even been to countries such as Australia, London and Canada with the Pretoria Youth Choir. She, like her 21-year-old sister and 24-year-old Nkgapela started singing at their respective church choirs. Evy, still sings at the Mamelodi West branch of the AME church. Everyone sings in their family, says Evy. Their father is an amateur saxophonist.
 

Palesa are very excited at having been given such a golden opportunity by so respected a musician, here and abroad.

They say he has been like a father, treating them with love and respect. Theirs should be one long and fruitful relationship, they say.

 

And boy, do they want to challenge the status quo.

They promise that their star is going to shine very brightly in the local music firmament. And who can doubt them, really. After all, South Africans have never before, heard anything of the kind these sisters have to offer.

Watch out for Palesa.