Multi-award-winning Lesotho artistNtate Stunna is set to premiere a music video for his hit single “Fire” tommorrow at the Sesotho Fashioneng Kasi Kota activation at Kasi Kota in Ha Pita, Maseru. The video will subsequently be available on YouTube from 1 November, at 6 AM.
Speaking to Newsday Arts ahead of the release, Ntate Stunna described the inspiration behind the song as a desire to create something that could motivate him through life’s challenges.
“I wanted a song I could wake up to every morning, one that reminds me I can go through anything and survive the fire. Ke chesa ho feta mollo. I burn hotter than fire. That’s the whole message,” Ntate Stunna said.
The sentiment runs through the song’s title and the visual direction of the project. For Ntate Stunna, fire represents a force that destroys whatever stands in its way.
“To me, ‘Fire’ sounds like a burner. It’s the destroyer, burning down everything that comes my way. Nothing that stands in front of me survives it,” he explained.
But beyond the symbolism of overcoming obstacles, the project also marks an important moment in the artist’s evolution behind the camera.
Ntate Stunna, a double SAMA 29 winner and Lesotho National Music Awards Artist of the Decade, says the “Fire” video allowed him to explore his creative vision without the financial limitations that previously constrained his ambitions.
“The graphics put it on another level. This is the kind of video I’ve always dreamed of. A few years ago, a video like this was simply too expensive for me,” he said.
“‘Fire’ is the first video where I drew up the concept without capping my imagination or worrying about the budget. I just let the vision be as big as it wanted to be.”
That freedom is central to what he hopes audiences will experience when they watch the video.
“I wanted people to feel that heat, like nothing can stop them. When the video ends, I want you to feel like you’ve just walked through fire and come out stronger.”
The production is directed and produced by Thaabe Letsie, who also wrote the lyrics, with Bongani Sibiya and Ntsaky Happiness Baloyi credited as composers. Sesotho Fashioneng provides the wardrobe, while the release is under Penya Play Productions (Pty) Ltd.
The involvement of these creative players brings together music, visual production and fashion in a project that reflects the interconnected nature of the creative industries.
Although audiences may increasingly associate Ntate Stunna with his musical achievements, he says visual production has been part of his creative journey for years.
His work behind the camera includes music videos and promotional material associated with the late Malome Vector, including projects such as “Bo Ntate ba Brewery” and “Ichu”. He also points to “Ka Pina ke Sele”, “Ke Thata” and “Khotho” when discussing his experience in shooting, directing and editing.
“It’s always been there,” he said of his interest in visual production.
His account challenges the idea that his work as a visual artist is a recent departure from music. Instead, “Fire” represents an opportunity to bring that longstanding interest into sharper focus.
The project also demonstrates how artists can develop skills beyond performing and recording, taking greater control of the creative process and the visual identity of their work.
For him, this is part of a broader ambition to build a career that extends beyond entertainment.
One of the defining features of the “Fire” project is the involvement of Sesotho Fashioneng, a brand with roots in the music scene and a mission to make Sesotho fashionable.
Ntate Stunna said including the brand was a deliberate decision because he wanted the project to reflect the quality of Basotho creativity.
“‘Fire’ was going to be my best work yet, so our own brand had to be in it. If I’m putting out my best, I’m putting our best on screen too,” he said.
He views music and fashion as complementary industries that can support one another through collaboration and investment.
“They live together perfectly, like an ecosystem, and not just in Lesotho,” he said.
According to Ntate Stunna, Sesotho Fashioneng is also looking to support other creatives through a model that complements the work of Penya Play Productions.
He cited the brand’s sponsorship of Litshepe’s upcoming music video, for which it has covered production costs, as an example of the approach he wants to encourage.
“With Sesotho Fashioneng here, on a mission to make Sesotho fashionable, an artist doesn’t have to struggle to bring his work to life,” he said.
The model points to a wider possibility for Lesotho’s creative sector: local brands supporting artists, artists providing visibility for fashion, and creative businesses reinvesting in projects that generate further opportunities.
Such partnerships can help reduce some of the financial barriers facing emerging talent while creating commercial opportunities for businesses operating within the same ecosystem.
For a country with a rich cultural identity and a growing contemporary music scene, the challenge is not simply producing creative work, but building the structures that allow it to sustain livelihoods.
Ntate Stunna is candid about his ambitions for music as a business.
Asked what he hopes to achieve beyond entertainment, he responded with humour before explaining the serious intention behind the answer.
“Honestly? Money. But I’m serious. I want to show that this art can feed you, build businesses and create jobs,” he said.
“When the money is right, you can invest back into the culture and the people around you.”
The statement captures a practical dimension of the creative economy: artistic expression and commercial success need not be opposing objectives. Revenue generated through creative work can support employment, fund new productions and create opportunities for other artists and professionals.
This is particularly relevant in an environment where creatives often have to navigate the costs of recording, video production, marketing and distribution while trying to establish sustainable careers.
Through his work in music, visual production and the creative ventures associated with Penya Play Productions and Sesotho Fashioneng, Ntate Stunna is advocating for a model in which creative success can have a wider economic impact.
His vision places value not only on the finished product, but also on the network of people and businesses required to bring it to life.
Ntate Stunna’s regional profile has also grown through collaborations, including his appearance on “Stimela” alongside South African music group 2Point1 and Nthabi Sings.
Yet his message ahead of “Fire” suggests that the next phase of his career will involve more than releasing music. He is interested in developing a broader creative portfolio and using commercial success to support further cultural production.
Asked what fans should expect next, he offered a brief but revealing response.
“Ha e sale movie, e sele series. This isn’t a movie, it’s a series, and the story keeps going. Expect more inspiration for living life.”
The statement leaves the door open for further projects while presenting “Fire” as one chapter in an ongoing creative journey.
The video premieres at the Sesotho Fashioneng Kasi Kota activation in Ha Pita on Saturday, 31 October, before its scheduled YouTube release at 6 AM on Sunday, 1 November.
The fire he wants audiences to see is not simply about confronting obstacles, it is also about the determination to expand creative possibilities, build businesses and ensure that success creates opportunities for others.
In that sense, the message behind “Fire” extends beyond the screen: Basotho creativity can do more than entertain. It can build an industry.
Summary
- Multi-award-winning Lesotho artistNtate Stunna is set to premiere a music video for his hit single “Fire” tommorrow at the Sesotho Fashioneng Kasi Kota activation at Kasi Kota in Ha Pita, Maseru.
- “I wanted a song I could wake up to every morning, one that reminds me I can go through anything and survive the fire.
- One of the defining features of the “Fire” project is the involvement of Sesotho Fashioneng, a brand with roots in the music scene and a mission to make Sesotho fashionable.
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