Oufadafada’s song being selected as the Lesedi FM crossover song, also known as the song of the year, has sparked controversy as listeners are rejecting the song.
Listeners are questioning why a song that was not on high rotation and “unknown” became a crossover song, despite songs like Shela, Magumba, and others being chart-toppers and enjoying massive airplay.
In an exclusive conversation with Free State Music Association’s Ayanda Roda, he explained how crossover song selections were supposed to work and how they worked in the past.
Roda said in the 1980s, the song of the year started as “the most popular song” played on five radio stations back then during the homeland era. He added that one song could resonate with people residing in various homelands and automatically become the song of the year, as it related to people of different languages.
According to Roda, for the song to be considered for Song of the Year/crossover song, it should have played on radio stations for more than three months before the festive season.
“From September, most of the songs released at that time were to set the tone for the festive season, with focus from September to December, and there were no votes at that time, but the popularity of the song and the airplay it enjoyed from radio stations would determine it for the crossover song recognition,” Roda explained.
Roda explained that, due to allegations of payola that were raised in relation to the crossover song, the SABC mandated their radio stations to choose their own crossover songs based on their broadcasting language.
This would also ensure promotion of the dominating language at the radio station (eg, Sesotho at Lesedi FM, Isizulu at Ukhozi FM, and Setswana in North West)
Roda added that with the SABC giving its regional/provincial stations the power to select their own crossover songs, it made it easy for people in provinces where the SABC’s stations are based to easily relate to a song in the language that dominates in the province, unlike having a crossover song in a language that people cannot relate to.
“When the stations choose their crossover songs, the song should have gained airplay for more than three months, and should set the tone from October to December and have a high rotation in that particular radio station, so that listeners can relate and start to enjoy the festive season through that particular song,” Roda stated.
He emphasized that a song which played two to three times only should not be considered for a crossover song, and that a music committee of a station should be the one choosing a crossover song, and not the Management of the station.
According to Roda, based on the airplay, the music committee should select a crossover song, and the airplay should derive from a TOP 30 as most radio stations have a TOP 30 Chart where the best songs are taken to form part of the TOP 30 Chart from September.
Roda said a song that plays twice or thrice should not be a crossover song, as this leads to the public expressing unhappiness.
Regarding Oufadafada’s song being selected as the crossover song by Lesedi FM, Roda added that the song allegedly played only three times before it won Song of the Year, and this demonstrated inconsistency and unfairness on the part of Lesedi FM.
“We want Lesedi FM to explain how the song became No.1 when it did not enjoy airplay and only got to be part of the system on 14 November. On 28 November, it was No.24, but on 31 December 2025, the song was No. 21. the is no sense there.” Roda concluded.
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