MUSIC helps people survive even in the worst of all situations like during trying times caused by among others the COVID-19 pandemic when they need a solace to keep them going on.
society
March 10, 2021
KABELO MASOABI
3 min read
Music keeps people alive - artists
Lesotho international artist Tshepo 'The Village Pope' Tshola
This is highlighted by homebrewed Jazz artist and teacher, Tom Rakoti encouraging people to listen to music for therapy when they encounter hardships of all sorts in life.
He says although music appears to be a simple commodity that is often taken for granted by many, it is in fact one of the most complex and fascinating components available in the universe.
Rakoti of the Senqu Jazz Band fame also raises the question of what life would be like without music.
Several other local musicians and professionals from other fields have various views on how music impacts life and the kind of world people would live in without it.
Afro Pop singer Katamelo 'Silos' Khomonyane of Lisemeng, Hlotse says without music, the world would be a quiet and empty place.
"Our life without melodies and harmonies would be totally empty. “Listening to and playing different tunes help us to get rid of stress, relax and also motivate us in trying times. Music has the ability to convey all sorts of emotions.
“It can be a way of delivering messages, a fine art and a great source of entertainment. The kind of effect that music has on our emotions is amazing, it can bring people to tears or laughter,” he says.
Virtual arts university graduate and Hip hop star Molebatsi 'Dynamite' Phethiso of Maputsoe, says images that music and songs are able to create in people’s mind are uniquely breathtaking.
Music, he says has the ability to transport people back in time just like a time machine.
“It lets us revisit lost and forgotten moments in life. Once I hit my teenage years, music became my life and gradually started taking over my soul. I feel that this applies to the saying that - “music imitates life and life imitates music,” adds Dynamite.
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Some therapists also agree that different kinds of music affect people in many different ways.
They say it brings people closer to their families and friends. Soothing music has always been known to relieve stress, but sound therapy goes a step further by promoting sound as a way of alternating the body’s frequency waves to promote healing.
"Music has its own magic to consolidate the connection between people. Listening to music together brings us together. Every country has its own national anthems. We put our hands on our chests and sing along. Music is an art that appeals to the conscious mind, but the best music also appeals to the subconscious,” says Pulane Hlabeli, who is a psychotherapist by profession.
In a nutshell, science has shown that, at its core, music is something that is built into the physical structure of our world. It flows out of the same laws of physics and mathematics that organise our world into molecules and atoms. It also has to do with our brain, the most advanced computer in the known universe.
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