Msaki’s music is far more than entertainment; it’s an offering, an honest conversation with her audience.
Image: Vuyile Madwantsi
In Cape Town, where the ocean meets golden sands, Msaki (Asanda Lusaseni Mvana) steps onto the stage, luminous and heartfelt.
Known for genre-blurring compositions and deep introspection, her music resonates deeply both locally and globally. It's not just heard; it's felt a balm weaving folk, jazz, electronic and house into something ethereal and grounding.
Recently, after Msaki's performance at the Corona Sunsets Summer Tour, our conversation explored her journey, art, and commitment to community and self-preservation. Her words, like her music, were poetic and reflective.
The soundtrack of healing
Msaki’s music is far more than entertainment; it’s an offering, an honest conversation with her audience. “I’m a broken person trying to sing myself better,” she told "Independent Media Lifestyle".
“We’re all meeting each other somewhere, bringing our wounds, our stories and the music becomes a balm. It’s not something I take for granted.”
This philosophy is evident in her most notable works, including "Fetch Your Life" with Prince Kaybee and Ubomi Abumanga. These songs have become anthems of hope and resilience, connecting listeners through shared experiences of pain and healing.
“The last stage of healing is art, a byproduct of our pain. Some people cook, some knit, some build, and I make music,” she reflects. “We’re all trying to spin our pain into beauty.”
Her latest collaborative project with Jesse Clegg, Entropy, is a testament to this ethos. Rooted in grief and love, the project explores loss, resilience, and the alchemy of turning emotional decay into something transcendent.
“There’s a joy in the sound, an experimentation,” she says. It doesn’t sound like him, it doesn’t sound like me, it's a middle ground, a space where we’re both a little uncomfortable. But that’s where the magic happens.”
Despite her growing acclaim and packed schedule, Msaki has adopted a mantra that many of us could stand to embrace: balance.
“I’ve learned to say no,” she admits. “I’ve been through burnout, and I’m extra cautious about being tired. Balance is the goal now, not appearing to be anything, but truly being present.”
We’re all meeting each other somewhere, bringing our wounds, our stories and the music becomes a balm. It’s not something I take for granted ~ Msaki
Image: Vuyile Madwantsi
Her journey back to the stage, after a much-needed hiatus, has been intentional.
“Every show I commit to is planned with care, with people who understand my goal of longevity,” she shares. Msaki’s recent performances, including collaborations with global acts like RY X at Kirstenbosch Gardens, have been a gentle re-entry into the world she loves.
“Cape Town has a warmth that feels like a good landing spot,” she says with a smile. “The audience is so open, so present, it’s a privilege I don’t take for granted.”
Beyond her music, Msaki is a force for change in the creative world. She has founded platforms like ALTBLK>>Continua and the Fetch Your Life Foundation, designed to uplift African artists and foster creative ecosystems. “I’m a product of mentorship and holding,” she says.
“So, I believe in lifting as you rise. It’s not about giving back; it’s about existing laterally, building community.”
Her vision is clear: to create spaces where independent artists can thrive, free from the traditional constraints of the industry. “I don’t need to wait until I’m 60 to think about giving back,” she asserts. “It’s about making sense of my journey as an artist in a way that also makes sense to my community.”
This ethos extends to her collaborations. “It’s not philanthropy,” she clarifies. “It’s logic. We’re peers, and we deserve to make each other’s lives easier.”
For Msaki, songwriting is a way to grapple with life's complexities. Her upcoming projects delve into themes of humanity, complicity, and the search for meaning. “I’m interested in the human experience, in psychology,” she explains.
Festival attendee, Tumi Pheko, at the Corona Sunsets Summer
Image: Vuyile Madwantsi
“Songs are attempts to say difficult things, to express the ethereal and the unspoken.”
Her creative process is deeply personal, yet universally resonant. “I don’t always know if my songs will connect,” she admits.
“But my heart is to write big songs not in reach, but in thought. I’m writing about being on the wrong side of history, about our complicities and complexities. It’s about asking questions, even if we don’t have the answers.”
As our conversation winds down, I couldn’t resist asking Msaki for her ultimate summer playlist. Her picks are as eclectic and soulful as she is: Wayside Lover from her collaboration with Jesse Clegg, Ima Ali Deyeme Ami by Sun-El Musician, and an Afro-tech DJ set by Stimming.
“These songs carry us through the summer,” she says with a wistful smile.
Her mantra for the coming year is presence.
“If it’s impermanent, enjoy it. If it’s beautiful, savour it. Presence is the practice for me,” she says, her words resonant and grounding.
“We’re lucky to be in this moment. Things are not always as bad as they seem. The sun will always rise.”