FROM rejection to recognition, musician, Lutroo Da-Music is enjoying the taste of success.
The 33-year-old star from Thohoyandou in Venda, Limpopo, recently dropped the single, Finyani, featuring actor and musician, Nay Maps.
Speaking to Daily Sun, Lutroo Da-Music, whose real name is Hulisani Masakona, said Finyani was born out of a personal conversation he once had with himself.
"The idea came to me three years ago. I was reminding myself to pull up my socks and go after what I want. No one's going to do it for you," he said.
Although the original concept was shelved for years, the revival of the three-step sound gave him the spark to complete it.
"When I heard three-step coming back strong, I imagined how it would sound in my own style and ran to the studio to bring it to life."
Three-step is a Mzansi-born sub-genre that originated in Joburg, characterised by its distinctive three-kick-drum rhythm per bar that creates a unique bounce and groove. It blends elements from amapiano, Afro-house and broken beats that are often slower and more deliberate than traditional amapiano.
Artists like like Thakzin, Mörda, Dlala Thukzin, Jazzworx and Thukthela have been part of its rise.
Lutroo said the song is currently doing well.
"The numbers are growing right in front of my eyes. The video isn't out yet, but we're already past 20 000 views. The momentum is beautiful," he said.
Lutroo is not just part of the 3-step movement, he's pioneering it from Venda, where the genre hasn't yet fully exploded.
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"I wanted to create something unique that speaks to my people and holds space for Venda creatives. There's still a gap and I'm working to fill it."
He said choosing Nay Maps as a collaborator wasn't only about name-recognition, it was a conscious decision to bridge the gap between a local sound and national reach.
"I didn't want the usual feature. Nay Maps helped bring the national voice while still holding true to the sound's roots," he said.
Despite his current success, Lutroo's journey has been a long and an emotional one, often filled with rejection, even from those closest to him.
He said:
"People laughed at me when I said I wanted to make music. That rejection pushed me to become introverted and just learn in silence. But it also taught me something; you don't need anything outside of yourself to become who you're meant to be. Just believe it and walk like you already are."
His focus is now on taking his music to a national level and has more collaborations on the way including a Finyani remix with Black Motion.
"I'm not selective about who I work with. For me, it's about the music. But I'm definitely looking at national artists for future collabs," he said.
Lutroo, who describes himself as "a true music creator," is also looking to grow on the business side of the industry.
"There's a lot of business in music that artists don't tap into. I want to learn and build from that too," he said.
