Lusanda: From “When You’re Around” to “Progress”

Lusanda: From “When You’re Around” to “Progress”  The Story of a South African Soul in Bloom

In the past year, few South African artists have embodied artistic growth quite like Lusanda. The singer-songwriter, whose name has steadily become synonymous with honesty and elegance in R&B, has been on a quiet but undeniable rise. From her heartfelt collaboration with Noxz on When You’re Around, to her haunting cover of Mad World for Spotify Singles, Lusanda has shown an instinct for emotional storytelling, one that finds its purest form yet in her latest single, Progress.

A Journey of Collaboration and Courage

It all began with When You’re Around, a 2024 collaboration with Noxz that introduced Lusanda’s velvety vocals to the wider R&B scene. The chemistry between the two artists was instant, their harmonies effortlessly painting a soundscape of yearning and connection. The song became a sleeper favorite among local playlists and quietly set the tone for Lusanda’s evolution as a solo artist ready to lead her own story.

Then came her re-imagining of Mad World, released through Spotify’s EQUAL Africa programme. It wasn’t just a cover; it was a moment of cultural significance. Lusanda became the first South African woman to feature in the Spotify Singles series, transforming a global classic into something deeply introspective and unmistakably African. That haunting rendition, stripped of excess and carried by her controlled yet emotive delivery, announced an artist capable of bridging global resonance with local soul.

The Arrival of Progress

Now, Lusanda steps into her own spotlight with Progress, her most personal work to date. Released in late September 2025, the single captures the tension between becoming and belonging, the emotional space between where you are and where you hope to be.

Produced by Sunny Kale, a London-based Grammy-nominated creative who discovered Lusanda through her viral TikTok performances, the song was built on a beat that sat unreleased for six years before finding its perfect home in her voice. The track also features the subtle sonic fingerprints of Charlotte Day Wilson, Biako, and Matthew Tavares (of BADBADNOTGOOD fame), giving it a lush and textured backdrop worthy of her delicate lyricism.

Opening with the line “Stumbling, fumbling…”, Progress unfolds like a confessional diary entry, a moment of surrender that blossoms into strength. Lusanda describes the writing process as initially overwhelming: “I had too many ideas, too many emotions fighting for space,” she said in a recent interview. But once she allowed herself to breathe, the words came naturally. The result is a song that doesn’t chase perfection; it celebrates imperfection as proof of growth.

Movement in Melody

To understand Lusanda’s artistry, you have to look at where she started. Born in Durban and raised in Johannesburg, she began as a ballerina before discovering her voice. That discipline, that sensitivity to movement and rhythm, never left her. “I dance inside my melodies,” she’s said, and you can feel that choreography in how her vocals rise and fall, how every phrase lands softly but intentionally.

It’s this fusion of motion and music that makes Progress so captivating; every note feels like a step forward.

A Moment That Feels Like a Beginning

Following the success of her earlier collaborations, Progress feels like Lusanda’s defining statement, not the end of a journey, but the start of one. The single is already gaining momentum across streaming platforms, praised for its emotional depth and world-class production. It’s a song that speaks to anyone navigating change, growth, or the quiet chaos of self-discovery.

More than anything, it reaffirms Lusanda’s unique ability to translate personal experience into sound. She isn’t chasing trends, she’s building a language of her own, one rooted in patience, vulnerability, and vision.

The Bloom Continues

If When You’re Around was her introduction and Mad World her revelation, then Progress is Lusanda’s bloom a declaration that she’s here to stay, and she’s only getting started. Her path from ballet studios to international collaborations tells a story of persistence and reinvention, one that mirrors the very essence of her new single: steady, graceful, and unstoppable.

“Growing a garden starts with a seed,” she sings and with Progress, Lusanda has planted hers firmly in the heart of South African music.

Momentum on Playlists

The response to Progress has been strong across streaming platforms. The single was recently added to Spotify’s flagship editorial playlists R&Beats and R&B Weekly, amplifying its reach among global R&B audiences. On Apple Music, it also earned placements on the Mood and Brown Sugar playlists, further proof that Lusanda’s sound resonates far beyond South Africa’s borders.