#52: Lusanda Mthunywa (bl_oming)

This week we are joined by model and creative explorer, Lusanda Mthunywa, who tells us more about artworks by Boemo Diale, Korean food, Habibi Funk & Bossa Nova music, and more!

Lusanda Mthunywa is a model and creative explorer. They enjoy trying out a lot of things that call for their creativity & they’re always open to picking up new hobbies and skills. Lusanda spent the majority of their childhood in a very very small town in Limpopo called Lephalale, where they were born and raised, and only relocated permanently to Johannesburg five years ago. Because they’re always evolving into a better version of themselves, they picked the username bl_oming, like a blooming flower.

Lusanda has big dreams, but a towering ambition. They truly feel capable of anything; therefore, they do everything in their power to show everyone who they are and what they’re capable of doing. Hence why Lusanda loves putting themselves out there, it’s terrifying but always worth it because they know that they’ll eventually reach the right people who are willing to invest in them and their dreams. <3

We welcome Lusanda to The FRM Newsletter to share what they’ve been into recently.

🎶🎷 Music

I had to talk about music first! When am I not listening to music, what?! I love anything that’s funky, music with a good beat gets me going or music that takes me to a sunset party by the beach!! My favorite genres include Habibi Funk, House, Bounce and especially Bossa Nova (it’s my only personality trait lmao). Otherwise, I listen to anything that makes me feel like I’m in the back seat of a convertible near the coast or something. A few of my dream vinyl purchases are ‘Marzipan’ by Charif Megarbane and ‘Galtropical by Gal Costa’.

🎬🐦 Film

Unfortunately, I have the attention span of a goldfish. It’s hard for me to get into watching films but some movies I can rewatch for the rest of my life and actually sit through the entire movie; like Rio (2011) (the first one only), Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016), Interstellar (2014) and any Studio Ghibli film, especially on rainy days with a bowl of ramen. Rio is actually my favourite movie of all time, which is funny because I HATE musicals but something about Rio ughhh!

🎨🎭 Art

One of my favourite artists right now has to be Boemo Diale (@sociallubricant). She is beyond talented, and her art always leaves me in awe (I’m fan girling as you can see).

📕🤗 Books

In my self-help book era, lol. The best self-help book I’ve read so far is the ‘The Mountain Is You’ (2020) by Brianna Wiest, and right now I’m trying to finish ‘Atomic Habits’ (2018) by James Clear & ‘The Artist’s Way’ (1992) by Julia Cameron. This may be silly but honestly my favourite book of all time is ‘Wave Me Goodbye’ (2017) by Jacqueline Wilson because my best friend from England gifted it to me in primary school and I’ve kept it ever since. It’s a devastating book though.

🍣🍖 Food

I love Korean food, Kimbap, KBBQ, Korean friend chicken, Bibimbap, you name it and I’m sat! I also love sushi, I could eat it with my hands like pap. I love it when my mom makes soul food too, like Boontjies and uJeqe (beans and steam bread), Inyama Yangaphakathi (tripe), oh and I also love Zulu umsebenzi food like goat meat and uJeqe. Best dessert known to man is obviously milk tart, come on. My favourite fruits are papaya, watermelon, and mango.

👖💇‍♀️ Fashion

Mhm… Fashion is a tricky topic for me only because I feel like I’m only finding “my personal style“ now and I’m trying to utilise what I already have to curate outfits that match me or who I want to be on that day. But recently I’ve been loving playing with my hair, my hair is my makeup lmao. So, if I don’t know what to wear, I opt for my basic jean & top and then I say everything else with my hair.

✈🏖 Travel & lifestyle

I just want to be by the shore, but I also really love a big city! I also really want to go to Morocco, Lebanon and Egypt ASAP!!

⁉🌕 Some fun facts about me

• I’m a big fan of astronomy; no not astrology. I love everything that has to do with space and beyond, and if you know me personally you know I’m always looking up at night. I will talk about space for literally hours and hours whenever I get the chance to, which is probably why I adore Interstellar so much.

• Recently, I’ve also been really loving pretty wine bottles. If I could collect them all and not drink them I would. But for now, I just save pictures on my Pinterest board.

• My favourite flower is the Hibiscus flower because it reminds me of my childhood home in Limpopo, my mom used to have them in our backyard.