2022 #HuntersXJacquelCultureHouse (Durban Edition) winner Lungelo Manzi expresses his hope for better in his touching single ‘Balance.’ He features songstress Lisa Mbali‘s angelic adlibs, which give the song a soothing feel. Manzi summarizes our chaotic introduction to adulting as the frantic search for peace, calm, and balance. Whether to your current self or higher self, ‘Balance’ is a reminder to stay steady at the edge of glory.
Lungelo Manzi is a diverse Durban-born singer-songwriter, rapper, and composer based in Johannesburg. His musical personality is a delicate mixture of strong American hip-hop acts like JID and Mick Jenkins. Above all, candid lyricism and storytelling are assets for his sound, and his alternative hip-hop/R&B influences give him an edge. Conscious artistry is making a comeback, and artists like Lungelo resurrect the possibilities of finding healing through music. Making music that trends versus music that mends is an uncomfortable space to be in as an artist. Nevertheless, there is room for both to exist, and ‘Balance’ is a reminder of this truth.
With more than a decade in the game, you can immediately hear the security in his artistry. In 2019, Lungelo was part of the Texx and the City’s Indie Newcomers, a spotlight for unsigned, underground talent. The momentum and the milestones keep piling up, anticipating the release of his debut album’ ADULTING ANONYMOUS.’ Winning the#HuntersXJacquelCultureHouse talent search and the mentoring studio session with MTV Africa Music Award Winner Shekinah was a much-needed blessing for him. “A lot of the work is done by yourself as an unsigned artist,” he told Hype Magazine. “So a program like Hunter’s x JCH resonated because the masterclass came with no fluff, and winning came with practical advice and facetime with a mentor who is actively doing the most in the same spaces I’d like to see myself in.”
Indeed artists are under tons of pressure to use gimmicks to stay relevant. However, Lungelo stands his ground in the single’s homegrown sound. There is a maturity in the openness of what the single addresses. In fact, you can hear the care with which ‘Balance’ was created. “The chorus came to me during a tough period settling into Jozi,” he said about the song’s origins. “When I listened back to Balance and felt like it needed a woman’s tone singing to complement my own. Now we’re here,” he said about collaborating with Lisa Mbali.
His latest full-length project, ‘ADULTING: The Live Experience,’ is a teaser for the release of his debut album, ‘ADULTING ANONYMOUS.’ If his single and milestones are anything to go by, Lungelo is truly on track to make huge waves musically.
Listen to ‘Balance’ and follow Lungelo’s journey to greatness. Out now on all digital streaming platforms.
