Dambisa : Biography and Profile

Dambisa Michelle Lunda (born 10 September 1989), known professionally as Dambisa, is a Zambian singer-songwriter. She calls herself the queen of dancehall in Zambia and is among the best-known female artists in the country’s pop scene.

Early life and education

Dambisa was born in Lusaka, Zambia. She attended several schools before going on to university, where she enrolled for a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Music remained her real focus, and she eventually dropped out to pursue it full time.

Singing had started much earlier. She began at the age of nine, and as a teenager she listened to Tina Turner and, at times, to Zambian musician PK Chishala. Both are credited with shaping her career.

Musical style

Her music draws on several traditions. Her listed genres are Afro pop, ragga, dancehall, kalindula and R&B. Dancehall and ragga come from Jamaica, while kalindula is a Zambian style built on strong bass and guitar lines. Her blend of the two reflects a wider pattern in Zambian pop, where imported sounds are reworked with local ones. Her work has been released under the label Team No Stress.

Career

Breakthrough with “Kaduka Chain”

Her first single, “Kaduka Chain”, launched her career. It was released in 2011 and featured the Zambian artist Petersen. The song became a hit across the country and opened doors for her in the music industry.

Regional recognition

More successful singles followed, and they took her on the road. She has toured East and Southern Africa, including a concert in Mauritius that she regards as one of the best international shows of her career. She has also gained recognition in West Africa and has performed on shows and at awards in Namibia.

Signing with Team No Stress

In mid-2015, she signed with Team No Stress, a label said to manage some of the leading artists in East Africa. The move gave her a platform beyond Zambia.

Writing for others

She is also part of the wider Zambian songwriting circle. The songwriter T-Sean has written songs for several Zambian acts, and Dambisa is among them.

“African Baby” (2018)

Her 2018 single “African Baby” celebrated African culture and skin colour. A Zed Top 10 profile around that time described her as a proud Zambian with strong African roots. The song is often cited as a more reflective counterpart to her bolder public image.

Public image and controversy

Dambisa has a reputation for doing things her own way. MTV has described her as the only Zambian female artist who has tried to change the country’s music industry. Zed Top 10 describes her as outspoken and unconcerned about how people view her comments and lifestyle. Some of her songs have caused controversy, which has kept her in the public eye.

The attention has not all been positive. In 2019, Hallelujah Magazine reported that Christian groups wanted her and other artists to stop sexualising their music. She has also been recognised for charity. Zambian Music Blog reported that she spent Christmas Eve 2018 giving to the needy.

Brand work and film

Dambisa is the brand ambassador for Pampers Zambia and appeared on the cover of Exclusive Zambian Magazine in 2014. She has also acted. She co-stars in the Zambian film Chenda alongside Flora Suya, and she praised Suya’s professionalism at the Lusaka premiere.

Legacy and place in Zambian music

Zambian pop has traditionally been dominated by men, and a Global Voices article on the country’s music lists Dambisa among the standout women, alongside Mampi, Cleo Ice Queen, Bombshell Grenade, Kantu, Kay Figo, Princess Natasha Chansa and Salma. Her persistence in a competitive industry, and her willingness to speak and perform on her own terms, have made her a recognisable figure for a generation of Zambian listeners.

She continues to work in the studio, developing new projects with other artists.

Not to be confused with Dambisa Moyo, the Lusaka-born economist and author.