Lusanda Beja’s mission as a gospel singer was born out of tragedy. Though the Western Cape-born artist has possessed a passion for spreading the word of God ever since childhood, it wasn’t until the 2005 death of his father, a respected pastor and singer in Gugulethu township, that he devoted himself full time to a family tradition of ministry reaching back generations. Beja’s first taste of recognition arrived in 2008 when, while still a teenager, he finished in the top 10 on the inaugural season of the television show I Want to Sing Gospel. After an independently released debut in 2013, in 2018 he dropped Jesu ’Lidwala, a breakout set that cemented Beja’s status as an artist with a dynamic and joyous approach to contemporary Mzansi gospel. The energy associated with his music—his frequent live appearances in particular—spills over to the other lanes of his busy career. Beja has also played a leading role in organising numerous revivals and concerts for his homeland’s gospel-music scene, including the annual Cape Town International Gospel Festival.