KwaZulu-Natal musician Lungie Ngcobo brings her family’s Maskandi legacy to Beyond Busking Live in Hout Bay this Sunday.
When Lungie Ngcobo takes the stage at Beyond Busking Live - The Next Stage on Sunday, she will be carrying more than her guitar.
She is continuing a family musical tradition passed down by her late grandfather, celebrated Maskandi guitarist, songwriter and teacher Shiyani Ngcobo.
Lungie is one of eight emerging artists selected for the 2026 Beyond Busking Programme, an initiative by Western Cape Arts Festivals in partnership with the Ariva Arts Foundation and funded by the National Lotteries Commission.
For four months, she travelled between KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town for training, mentorship, professional recording, and artist development, while remaining rooted in the Maskandi tradition.
Carrying the family tradition forward
Her grandfather, who taught Maskandi guitar at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and performed internationally, including at Carnegie Hall in New York, learned the tradition from his older brother before developing his own interpretation of the genre.
Lungie is now carrying that legacy into a new generation. Ethnomusicologist Dr Kathryn Olsen, who researched and worked with Shiyani, identifies Lungie as his granddaughter and one of the few female Maskandi guitarists in South Africa.
Her journey with Beyond Busking will continue beyond Sunday's concert. On Friday, October 2, she will release her new single, Ngeke Olivimbe Ikhono, across major digital platforms. The song speaks to the idea that talent cannot be suppressed, reflecting Lungie’s own determination to build a professional career without leaving her musical heritage behind.
“Beyond Busking is my home as an artist. It helped me to be confident and not doubt my talent,” says Lungie. “It also helped me with the skills to be a musician and in business.”
Lungie will join seven other emerging artists representing genres including Afro-soul, folk-pop, alternative rock, retro rock-and-roll and gospel.
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