10 Things You Didn’t Know About Punah Gabasiane-Malale

Punah Gabasiane-Molale is one of the pioneers of jazz genre music in Botswana. She is one of the amazing voices of talented musicians Botswana has ever produced. She started off humbly as a memebr of a traditional dance troupe, where she first experienced the pride of representing her country on the international stage as she performed at the SADC Music Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe. Read more about her below.

1. Puna started music at a very tender age, joining the Ditholwana Traditional Troupe as a lead singer and traditional dancer.
2. As her love for music grew , she began spreading her wings to perform in other areas and here including being a cabaret singer at the Grand Palm Casino and Resort hotel and other hotels country-wide.
3. Her rise to stardom was birthed through the release of her gospel album and the ‘Iyoo nna ‘song which became a hit and gained massive airplay. She then moved to Jazz music and she has never looked back.
4. She is a pioneer of a few things, being the first female jazz artists and the first female musician in Botswana to go online.
5. She has chosen to work more on three major calls of the nation:
   * Child Welfare
   * Gender Based Violence .
   * Raising the Botswana Brand and flag through song.
6. She is a member of Ladies of Jazz, a charitable group whose yearly charity music fundraiser unveiled the jazz storehouse that she is.
7.  Puna was among four local musicians Samantha Mogwe, Zeus, and Vee  who were pitted against the continent’s best artistes in the annual African Muzik Magazine Awards October last year.
8. In her music career Punah has scooped several awards:
   * Best Live Band – Botswana Presidential Award 2009
   * Best Live Band – Botswana Presidential Award 2008
   * Best Female Artist – Botswana Music Awards 2007
   * Best Jazz Album – Botswana Music Awards 2007
   * 2nd Position – Botswana Orange Botswerere Artists Award
   * Best Jazz Artist – Botswana Music Awards 2006
   * Best Gospel Album – Botswana Music Awards 2001
9. Her family is talented musically, taking the talent from her father. Puna’s brother Senyonfere is a recording artist and her younger sister Bianca is a former My Star talent show winner.
10. She is a happily married family woman.