South African singer and songwriter Lusanda is closing one musical chapter while opening an important new one. Her latest single, “Lunchbox,” is out now, completing her three-track body of work By The Time I Wake Up while she takes on the role of Spotify’s EQUAL Africa Ambassador of the Month.
For an artist whose music is rooted in lived experience, the timing feels significant.
“Lunchbox” follows the previously released “Progress” and the project’s title track, giving listeners a compact body of work that traces Lusanda’s evolving perspective through intimate songwriting and soulful vocals.
Turning Real Life Into Music
Lusanda’s approach is less about creating a perfect image and more about creating an emotional connection.
“I want people to feel something when they hear my voice,” .
she says, explaining that her songwriting comes from experiences she has actually lived through
That vulnerability is central to the appeal of her music. Rather than simply chasing a moment, Lusanda is building a catalogue around emotions that listeners can recognise in their own lives — heartbreak, growth, uncertainty, healing and everything in between.
For a generation navigating an increasingly complicated world, that kind of honesty can matter just as much as the production.
EQUAL Comes Full Circle
Being named Spotify’s EQUAL Africa Ambassador is particularly meaningful because Lusanda’s relationship with the programme stretches back to major milestones in her career.
EQUAL support helped her secure her first major headline show in Johannesburg and played a role in her Spotify Singles recording session.
Now, she finds herself representing the same programme that supported her at pivotal moments.
For Lusanda, the recognition also speaks to the importance of platforms that actively create opportunities for women artists.
“It has meant everything,”.
she says of being part of a programme that puts resources behind women in music
From Ghana to Mzansi
Lusanda’s musical journey has also crossed borders.
She co-wrote By The Time I Wake Up with producer Anoop D’Souza, whose credits include work with artists such as Tems, Summer Walker, Syd and Asake. The collaboration began after the pair connected in Ghana before continuing their creative process in South Africa.
Her growing list of collaborations also includes names such as Nasty C, Tellaman, Clxrity and Dwson, placing Lusanda within a wider network of contemporary African artists pushing boundaries across genres and audiences.
A Closer Look at “Lunchbox”
The new release is more than the final track in a three-song sequence. It completes a project that gives fans another window into Lusanda’s creative world.
Johannesburg listeners also had the opportunity to experience that world up close at her intimate Track by Track listening session at &Friends/Mamakashaka in Braamfontein on 17 September, where she unpacked the project in her own words.
With “Lunchbox” now available across streaming platforms, Lusanda’s latest chapter is officially in the hands of the listeners — and the next one is already taking shape.
