Cape Town – I’d just come off my first segment on the Expresso Morning Show on Monday, where I had discussed the dramatic World Cup final between France and Croatia.
Alongside me was former Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund, and presenter Graeme Richards couldn’t hide his disappointment that the World Cup was over.
What were we going to watch now?
But as I waited for my next segment, I saw a group of guys who were all wearing the same clothing from a sportswear sponsor.
I wasn’t sure who they were, but it didn’t take long to figure it all out – the one and only Babes Wodumo was in the house!
Babes Wodumo is interviewed by Katlego Maboe on the Expresso Morning Show on Monday. Photo: Ashfak Mohamed
I had seen on the programme schedule earlier that she was going to be on the show, but there was great excitement on set once the ‘entourage’ had arrived.
There was no sign of Babes yet, though, and I was curious to see what the Queen of Gqom was all about in the flesh.
From Lamontville in KwaZulu-Natal, Babes has taken the South African music and social scene by storm over the last few years.
Still only 23, Babes is an absolute phenomenon, with 672 000 Twitter followers and one of the biggest hits in Mzansi in the shape of ‘Wololo’.
Even I, as a middle-aged South African who grew up on Bollywood movies and music, was fascinated to see whether Babes deserved her royal title.
And doesn’t she just! The first sight of her on the show was dramatic – shocking purple hair, a short shorts on a chilly Cape Town morning, a yellow mini-dress hidden behind a maroon jacket, and matching yellow sneakers.
Add long purple nails, and shiny legs, and the look was complete.
Presenter Katlego Maboe, himself a wonderful vocalist, kicked off with a short list of fun questions, but everybody was waiting for Babes’ performance of Umngan’wami.
And didn’t she rock the house! I was due on air for my second segment on the World Cup shortly, but I wasn’t going to miss out on Babes getting down with her crew for the world.
As soon as I heard “ Babazani bo, babazani, washa” I ran over to where Babes was performing and everybody was doing their gwara gwara moves.
Katlego and Expresso Show floor manager Lucian Albertyn were gooi-ing it, and even a sports guy like me got going...
Video: Ashfak Mohamed Instagram Stories
We had a great time, and it proved that the power of Babes Wodumo is real, and here to stay.
She gets a rough time from some fans and others on South Africa’s music and social scene, and we all know about the controversy and allegations of physical abuse that has enveloped her relationship with Mampintsha.
But listen up: Babes Wodumo is the QUEEN OF GQOM.
* Ashfak Mohamed is the Digital Sports Editor of Independent Media.
@ashfakmohamed