She knew she was destined for greatness. If there was a spotlight, she was always in it, from the time she started performing in school plays till today.
And even though she faced a few challenges along her route, she's excited about her future as a solo artist.
To get where she is, she had to overcome her fears of not being good enough and see her own talent.
Lungile Khoza, popularly known as Lungy K, first started out as a contestant on the choir competition Clash of the Choirs where she was in a group of young vocalists that were led and coached by the late Robbie Malinga, who she still sees as her mentor.
She learnt that she could sing back when she was in primary school. Since then, she's developed a deep love for music.
“When I was young, I always volunteered in school for plays and I would sing. When I sang, I saw some people in the crowd crying, that’s when I knew that there was something about my voice. When I was in high school, I wanted to study music, but my parents wouldn’t allow me.”
After high school she entered singing competitions including Idols South Africa, but it was Clash of the Choirs that helped her get her foot into the industry and she forever grateful for the experience and relationships she formed because of the competition.
“I got selected to represent KwaZulu-Natal, I met big people through the competition and at the time I didn’t have my own sound, but I fell in love with Zonke and Simphiwe Dana’s music. That’s where I met Robbie Malinga and he was a mentor to me and even after the show he was trying to help everyone make it in the industry but sadly I was suffering from confidence issues. I couldn’t be the person that I needed to be.”
She is now signed under Afrotainment, owned by DJ Tira, and she has released songs such as Uthando and You Don’t Care which have helped launch her career as a solo artist.
Before taking her music career seriously and being a full-time artist, she quit her job and decided to put all her attention into her craft.
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She will be releasing her new single featuring Character titled Samkelo on 28 Januar,y which is a long song about a woman leaving her hometown and her love to look for opportunities in another city.
“In the olden days it was always the men that leave their women to go work elsewhere and today women are getting opportunities in other cities and they leave their men. It’s a fresh take on those love narratives.”
She is currently working on a six track E.P that will be a narrative of her life, love lessons and she will be encouraging people through her music.
“I always write from my heart and my life. I love storytelling in my music, and I want people to feel encouraged. After I lost my mom in 2018, I started writing music that was close to my heart and I even wrote a song about her. People can expect my music to be personal to them.”
She is determined to leave her mark in people’s hearts.
“Making music is hard especially for women because when you enter the industry there are people who make you promises that they do not keep. Upcoming artists must not give up because it’s difficult at the bottom.”
“I am a fighter but at some point, I was ready to give up because of how things were happening, but I decided to not give up. Music can be depressing when your career is not coming together, I knew that one day I will make it.”
She says her mother would be very proud of the woman that she is today as she has always supported her dreams and has always motivated her to be a singer.
“She used to escort me to auditions and she was my cheerleader. I know she would be so proud because by the time she passed away I was in Clash of Choirs and I never thought that I would be the artist I am today. I have support from my other relatives, and they are always sending me warm messages.”
