Spotify has named South African R&B singer and songwriter Lusanda Ngcobo, known simply as Lusanda, as its EQUAL Africa Artist for September, spotlighting a distinctive emerging voice shaping South Africa’s contemporary R&B scene.
https://www.digital.zenithbank.com/ZEQ/ZEQ-jan-2026/index.html#p=1The EQUAL Africa programme celebrates, supports and amplifies women artists across the continent, helping connect their music with audiences at home and around the world. Lusanda’s selection comes at a significant moment in her career, following a series of milestones that have helped establish her as one of South Africa’s emerging voices, including becoming the first South African woman artist to feature on Spotify Singles.
For her Spotify Singles release, Lusanda reimagined Gary Jules’ interpretation of Tears for Fears’ iconic Mad World with a stripped-back rendition that puts her distinctive vocals and emotional delivery front and centre. The release offered Lusanda an opportunity to reinterpret a globally recognised classic through her own artistic lens, while introducing her sound to new listeners around the world.
Phiona Okumu, Head of Music at Spotify Sub-Saharan Africa, said, “We’re excited to spotlight Lusanda again this September and help introduce her music to even more listeners around the world. Her journey speaks to the depth of women talent emerging from the continent – a striking and individual voice that her growing fanbase loves.”
Lusanda’s EQUAL Africa recognition builds on her growing relationship with Spotify, which began with her debut pop single When You’re Around. The track received support through Spotify’s Fresh Finds Africa ecosystem, which champions emerging independent artists from across the continent and connects promising new voices with new audiences.
Since then, Lusanda has continued to develop a sound that moves fluidly between R&B, pop and contemporary influences, while retaining the intimacy, honesty and distinctive vocal character that define her artistry.
For Lusanda, the September EQUAL Africa spotlight comes at a pivotal moment as she expands her catalogue and enters her next chapter. Her latest single, By The Time I Wake Up, offers a glimpse into her upcoming EP of the same title, due for release on 11 September 2026.
“It goes without saying that EQUAL has helped create some significant milestones for me. My first full sets on stage in Johannesburg happened thanks to the programme, and it’s also the reason I got to record a Spotify Singles! Those have been real turning points for me. Our industry needs more EQUALs that don’t just use the language of supporting us, but actually put their resources behind women artists,” she said.
We sat down with Lusanda to learn more about music:
- What is one surprising thing your fans might not know about you?
Only a handful of day ones know this, but I once took part in Idols SA. Crazy, right! I’ve always wanted this. Obviously, it’s a lifetime ago. It was a time, and a story I’ll unpack on another day 🙂
- When did you realise music was your destiny, and what is your WHY?
It has never felt like a single moment. Music was always all around me at home. We sang all the time, and I did every type of choir every year in high school. I think doing covers on TikTok is what nudged me towards this as an actual career, because it came so naturally that it felt undeniable. My why is simple: I write from real experience, and I want people to feel less alone because of it. If one of my songs helps someone through something, especially something they’ve never been able to articulate, that’s the whole reason I do this.
- Which African artists did you grow up listening to?
Moneoa, Joyous Celebration, Bucie, Lira, Shekhinah, Thandiswa Mazwai, Simphiwe Dana, Freshlyground and Amanda Black.
- How would you describe your sound to someone hearing it for the first time?
Earnest, piercing, melodic. There’s a lot of affirmation, a lot of honesty about love and ambiguity and being in one’s own head and clarity. There’s quite a bit of yearning too. I love love in every sense. It’s soulful and it’s meant to feel like healing, even when the subject matter is heavy.
- What advice would you give to someone afraid to follow their dreams?
I said it best in my song Progress: “Growing a garden starts with a seed.” The insecurity doesn’t actually go away when you’re “ready”. And that just means you care about the result. That’s a good thing. You have to master that feeling. Start before you feel ready. The skill catches up and the rest becomes history if you keep going.
- How do you navigate the music space as a woman, and how does that shape your artistry?
I would choose being a woman in every lifetime. As an artist or otherwise. From the way we lead, the friendships we have, our intuition, and how we protect what we love. It’s the only perspective I know and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
