Glynis O’Hara on Abo Babes
THREE small, young and shy little women troop into the lounge, throw themselves down on the couch and gaze expectantly at you, volunteering nothing. Well, that’s what happens when you’re 14 and 15, as Mammi Vilankulu and Khumo Mokae are … you defer to the grown-ups. Jeanette Mokhela, though, is 20, a sister to respected choreographer Nomsa Manaka, and unsurprisingly, the most vocal.
The three of them make up a group called Abo Babes, which you might think is a play on “aborigines”, but is apparently just township slang for, well, township babes.
They’ve released a kwaito CD called Bathi Hai Man, produced by Chicco, which has now gone gold (25 000). The video to the title track, directed by Melvin Khaoli and Life Morewane, was among the nominations for Best Music Video/Clip From Africa at the Midem Awards in Cannes this week.
They also appeared at The Market Theatre last week in Hugh Masekela’s musical get- together that married kwaito with old guard.
Asked if they do the bump’n’grind on stage as made notorious by Abashante, they shriek “No!” in unison, and add: “Our parents would kill us!” Still, the pelvic routine on Bathi Hai Man is not exactly virginal, even if the casual jeans are a lot more innocent.
They were thrust into the music scene through their dance teacher Wendy Ramokgadi, who runs a school, Transcend Dancers, in Meadowlands. With two years at Moving into Dance behind him, he now orchestrates dance routines for music videos, theatres and mass displays, such as at the African Cup of Nations.
Ramokgadi is also an old friend of Chicco’s, so when the producer said he was looking for a new all-girl group, he took his pupils along for an audition.
The girls all say their parents are happy for them, although they weren’t at first. Says Ramokgadi: “I had to convince them that their children could finish school as well as have a singing career.”
Khumo, 15, is in standard nine, Mammy, 14, is in standard seven and Jeanette passed matric in 1994.
“You can’t ignore their talent, and stop them from doing something they love. If you do, they are going to turn out bitter and disillusioned,” adds Ramokgadi, who acts as manager/chaperone at every event.
And what is Bathi Hai Man about? “It’s talking about a guy called Bob,” explains Jeanette. “He’s silly, a womaniser. It describes the kind of situation where he’d be with one woman and relying on her for everything, especially money. If she then loses her money, he just goes to the next woman. So the song is saying `Stop that, man.'”
Are they feminists? More giggles. “Not really. But this is something that happens every day and nobody does anything about it. I hope this sends a message to everyone.”
The girls did not, however, write the lyrics themselves, Chicco did. “But he did bring us the songs and ask us if we felt comfortable singing them. So we did have the chance for input and we said they’re fine,” says Jeanette.
Wouldn’t they like to learn more about music? Play instruments? Compose? “Hugh is interested in developing them,” says Ramokgadi. “Kwaito’s in now, but in two years’ time it’ll be something else and they need to be more versatile.”
Indeed, Jeanette has just started learning piano and does already play some percussion.
They’ve also made some money by now, with all three giving half of their earnings to their mothers. Khumo and Mammy put the other half in savings and Jeanette uses it to live.
And are they recognised in the streets by now? “Yes! It’s just wonderful,” they chorus, glowing with innocence and possibility. Here’s hoping life is kind.