Two years since the release of her SAMA-winning debut album, Imizwa, afropop star Lwah Ndlunkulu released her follow-up opus titled Amaciko on the 3rd of October 2025.
Rooted in traditionalism, pride in the ways of isintu (culture), and the expression of the aforementioned through music, the album journeys through themes of thankfulness, godliness, and diligence in order to take the passenger to the destination of higher planes of thought and understanding. The songstress’s album arrives not only as umphako for the different paths of life to listeners, but as a collection of earnest prayers, letters of life, and everything else in between to nourish and guide the inner man with every listen.
“With this album, I realised that I had to pour my heart out. I had to respect what the fans say when I interact with them and take notes and use that in how I make my music. After all, they are the ones that shape the craft,” she said, talking about the importance of her fans in determining her album’s creative direction.
Lwah Ndlunkulu | SUPPLIED
African tradition, much like the blood, is passed on from body to body, more specifically, from mouth to ear through oral teaching. Then there is the idea of mimicking, passing down ways of life through action. For Lwah Ndlunkulu, the making of Amaciko was a matter of taking pride in who she is, her roots, and her mode of expression as a way of inspiring those who look up to her to not be shy in owning their culture.
“I gravitated towards making this album like this because it’s who I am, and this is what people know me for. I’m just that natural girl with dreadlocks and likes to embrace culture. Because for me, I just want to be different in way that I want to pass it on to the next generation without them asking. Not everyone is going to sing in English. So I felt I should be different and put this style in it by modernising it, so that when a child that looks up to me and sees me, they’ll know what to do with themselves and what path they can take,” she said.
Lwah Ndlunkulu | SUPPLIED
A bundle of songs celebrating the wonders of God and the strength of the human spirit holding on to hope, Ndlunkulu spoke about what she wished her album would achieve when received by her listeners.
“I want people to find growth and happiness in these songs. I want the songs to motivate them, specially tracks 1 and 2. Because ‘Ngizobonga’ talks about being grateful to God. In that song, it’s about going to God and letting Him know that today I am not here to ask for anything but to appreciate everything You’ve done for me. My prayer would’ve been to ask You for something else on top of all You’ve given me, but I choose to appreciate you instead.
“The second one, ‘Ithemba’, is about leaving my house every day with nothing in my heart but hope. It’s about not worrying about the future and what’s in front,” she said.
Watch “Ithemba”:
She also talked about how the album explored the beauty of romance and the diversity of African tales.
“Other songs are about love, since I love singing about love and also telling African stories through the music so people can relate, whether it’s a child, a young adult or a grownup. Then I close it off with an urban maskandi type of vibe for amaBhinca, because those are my people and I love to give them that energy so I can feed off it in return when they show love,” she said.
She shared her favourite song from the album, and what it meant to her.
“Looking back to 2020 when I came to Jo’burg and I was homeless and stayed in the studio for a year, I never thought that my dream would come true as it has now. I never thought I’d be blessed like how I am today. So, ‘Ngizobonga’ plays a big role to me and is close to my heart because I really appreciate God and how much He changed my life,” she said.
Check out “Ngizobonga”:
Speaking of gratitude and how far she has come, Lwah Ndlunkulu shared some of the things she’s proud of, such as finding riches, being someone who can give others a platform and having businesses of her own.
“I don’t think there’s much a difference in me because I still have that heart and passion and all that. The only difference is that I have now accomplished all the things I wanted. In the past I had no home, but now I have one. That time I had no funds but now I do, and with those funds I’ve gone into business which is Amaciko Productions, which deals with artists and presenters, giving them opportunities to showcase their talents. I’m at a stage where I got my own artists, like Slim Ego, whom I hope one day become superstars, even more than me. I’ve got Amaciko Foods, which is a shop in Maboneng opening very soon, and that’s the difference I feel between me then and now,” she said.
Lwah Ndlunkulu | SUPPLIED
The “Ithuba” hitmaker talked about the relevance of fans in the career of any musician, underscoring the importance of listening to what the crowd wants so that they continue backing the music and the career.
“I think humbleness and interacting with your fans is important for the music since they are the ones that put you at the top. So, knowing what they really want and what they really like about you and giving them that is what keeps you at the top of your game,” she said.
Preview Amaciko:
