A gospel music podcast in Maseru has become the unlikely starting point for a gaming project now reaching players and testers across several countries.
Created by Lesotho-born creator and digital media practitioner Seipati Motlatla in 2025, Crescendo came into being while Motlatla was looking for a game to play during an episode of her gospel music podcast, Rhythm Convos, which she started in May that year.
The physical version of game has been tested by YADAH ACAPPELLA in the Philippines, and by a group of friends in Manila, while the digital version has been played by people within Motlatla’s network.
The project has already reached testers in Lesotho, South Africa, Botswana, Argentina and the Philippines.
“Why don’t I just make a game of our own?” Motlatla recalls thinking.
She initially began developing a digital game before deciding, about a week later, to create a physical board game as well. What began as something fun for the podcast eventually developed into Crescendo, a gospel music game available in both physical and digital formats.
The project is centred on Christian music, its history, knowledge and the educational experience that comes from engaging with music.
“Christian music carries so much history, culture, theology, memory and storytelling, and I wanted the game to create a space where people could discover and test what they know while having fun together,” she said.
Motlatla says Crescendo is designed to make Christian music interactive, allowing players to learn about songs and artists, test their knowledge and create conversations with friends, family, church members and young people.
“Crescendo is basically my way of saying: Christian music can be educational, social, competitive and fun at the same time,” she said.
Motlatla did not initially set out to fill a gap in Christian gaming. Instead, she wanted to create something rooted in Christian music and gospel culture that was genuinely enjoyable.
As development progressed, however, she began seeing possibilities beyond Rhythm Convos, particularly because of her interest in digital evangelism.
“That was the moment I thought, ‘Okay, this could actually be something,’” she said.
The project began evolving into an interactive Christian experience that could reach people who may not necessarily engage with traditional forms of Christian media.
“That’s when Crescendo started feeling less like a side project and more like a real creative platform,” said Motlatla.
For Motlatla, gaming can also be a ministry tool without making players feel as though they are being preached at.
“Gaming can create relationships. Gaming can create conversations. Gaming can teach. Gaming can bring people together,” she said.
As the founder, creator and designer, Motlatla has handled much of Crescendo’s development herself, from concept development and game design to testing, branding and refinement.
She says one of the biggest challenges has been building the project without a large team or established infrastructure.
“You learn very quickly that having an idea is the easy part. Turning the idea into something functional, playable and presentable is where the real work is,” she said.
She admits she nearly abandoned the project at one point but decided she could not start something without finishing it.
“I almost gave up at some point, but I had to now remember that I can’t start and not finish. So I kept going,” she mentioned.
The experience has taught her patience and the importance of testing and improving the game rather than expecting the first version to be perfect.
The physical version of Crescendo has been tested by YADAH ACAPPELLA in the Philippines and by a group of friends in Manila, while the digital version has been played by people within Motlatla’s network.
The project has reached testers in Lesotho, South Africa, Botswana, Argentina and the Philippines.
“Having people in different countries interact with something that started as a random thought for my podcast has been so surreal,” she said.
Testing has also shown Motlatla that creators cannot always predict how audiences will experience their work.
“One of the biggest things players have taught me is that the creator is not always the best judge of the experience,” she said.
Feedback has helped her improve instructions, gameplay and understand what players actually enjoy.
Despite its international ambitions, Motlatla says Crescendo must retain the story of where it originated.
“I don’t want Crescendo to become an international project by losing the story of where it came from,” said Motlatla.
She wants the game to reach audiences globally while remaining connected to its roots as an idea created by a young Mosotho woman.
The game features music from different parts of the world, reflecting her vision of unity in Christian diversity.
“Music will always unite us,” she stated.
For Motlatla, representation is not simply about entering existing spaces but creating something of her own and allowing people to discover where she comes from through her work.
Motlatla sees Crescendo eventually becoming a commercial gaming brand, with the physical and digital versions expanding into different formats.
She also hopes to build a global Christian gaming community around the project, with Crescendo potentially being played in churches, youth groups, Christian schools, music ministries, families, universities and camps.
“Yes, I want Crescendo to be a successful brand. But more than that, I want it to become a space where Christian creativity feels exciting and global.”
For now, the project remains in development and testing. What began as an attempt to create a game for a gospel music podcast has become an ambitious project connecting Christian music, gaming, faith and community across borders.
“I don’t know exactly how far God intends to take Crescendo. I just know I want to be faithful with the idea He gave me.”
Summary
- Created by Lesotho-born creator and digital media practitioner Seipati Motlatla in 2025, Crescendo came into being while Motlatla was looking for a game to play during an episode of her gospel music podcast, Rhythm Convos, which she started in May that year.
- The physical version of game has been tested by YADAH ACAPPELLA in the Philippines, and by a group of friends in Manila, while the digital version has been played by people within Motlatla’s network.
- The physical version of Crescendo has been tested by YADAH ACAPPELLA in the Philippines and by a group of friends in Manila, while the digital version has been played by people within Motlatla’s network.
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