For the first time in Namibian music history, an all-girls band will take the stage.
Nocturnal Souls, made up of four music students from the College of the Arts and one from Robin’s Private Music Centre, will debut at the college’s auditorium on 7 August, marking a groundbreaking moment for women on the country’s music scene.
While Namibian music fans have seen talented women on horns and acoustic guitars, Nocturnal Souls are breaking new ground.
The group features young women playing drums, bass guitar and keyboards, alongside vocals.
According to the bassist and band leader, the band’s sound promises to be just as bold as their lineup.
Their repertoire will blend jazz and Latino music with soulful covers of icons like The O’Jays, Rihanna, Judith Sephuma and ASA.
From classic soul harmonies to contemporary pop and African jazz, Nocturnal Souls aim to showcase both technical skill and pure stage presence.
“This is more than a concert. It’s a statement,” band founder Erwin Gaweseb says. “We’re proving that girls can own every part of the band – not just the front, but the rhythm, the groove and the soul of the music too.”
With their training from the College of the Arts and their fearless energy, Nocturnal Souls are set to open doors for the next generation of Namibian women musicians.
Gaweseb says the band was formed in April and members have been rehearsing for three weeks.
Band leader and bass player Theopolina Amupembe says the band is ready to make its mark on the Namibian music scene.
“We have really worked very hard behind the scenes to be where we are now, which is to be ready to take our bow on the local music scene. We are excited,” she says.
“Our lecturer, Amakhoe Gaweseb, saw potential in us, and we are not going to let him down. We are battle ready, and we are ready to make history come next week.”
Amupembe says they have been practising consistently, and the stage is now set for their big night.
“We’ve bonded as a band, and we’ve the technical ability to make this initiative succeed. We called ourselves Nocturnal Souls because we didn’t want a typical group name,” she notes.
The bassist says they didn’t want to make it evident that they were an all-girls band, adding that sharing the same love for music helped them become a good band.
She says apart from their lead singer, who was a choir singer, no other member of the band has performed in front of an audience before.
The women say they are thinking about composing their own songs in the future after they have settled down.
Asked why people should attend their show, Amupembe says people are going to get their money’s worth.
“I can say upfront that people are going to leave the College of the Arts auditorium happy. It’s going to be an extraordinary experience by young gifted musicians.
“It’s very rare that an all-girls band has hit our shores. It is going to be entertainment galore because it is going to be an absolute expression of hard work,” she states.
Gaweseb says the band decided to have a show to gain exposure.
“We want the band to get exposure and to gain from public appearance and to get a feel for what a live performance is all about. I’m really excited for the ladies,” he says.
“It is finally time to enjoy and reap the fruits of their hard work. They all want this event to be a resounding success, so they have really put in a lot of effort to prepare themselves.”
Amupembe says what they have achieved in a short time is almost unbelievable.
“Maybe it is because we are taught music theory that we understand the essence of making music. Music is a language that we want everyone to be fluent in,” she notes.
“Having said that, I can’t go without saying that it was difficult at the beginning. But we had to ask ourselves, ‘do we really want this’ [the band]. Everything is going smoothly now.”
She adds that the band members have come to terms with what performing in front of a live audience is all about.
“But now, the challenge is on us to make this concert a success,” she says. “We understand the sound of music because we are all instrumentalists, and what we have experienced so far is personal fulfilment.”
She says everything boils down to sacrificing their time to practise.
She believes the late arrival of an all-girls band is due to a lack of confidence because people didn’t believe in their abilities.
“Maybe people were not interested, or they didn’t think about getting exposed to new possibilities like a woman playing drums or another one playing bass,” she says.
“I do feel the pressure of playing bass gives you the responsibility to set the tone of the band and control the tempo at which the other members are going.”
She says it all looked impossible at the beginning, but as time passed, she got to understand the dynamics.
She adds that she has to learn to remain disciplined and not allow herself to get carried away and overimprovise, because that would distract the whole set.
Amupembe says she has hopes of succeeding on their first attempt because it will encourage other women to consider starting their own bands.
She says when women believe in themselves, the battle is half won.
“When I decided to teach myself to play the bass guitar, I doubted if my fingers were not too small to play. But I have to praise myself that I had the heart and mind,” she says.
“Any girl that feels like she wants to play a musical instrument should follow her dream. Join a music college and learn how to play. The instructors are willing to help you.”
The admission fee is N$50.
Contact Gaweseb on 081 554 8921 for further information.
