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In this chapter of her life, reggae artist Lila Iké is embracing her feminine energy. Originally from Christiana, a small countryside town within Manchester parish in Jamaica, Lila is prepping to release her debut album “Treasure Self Love.” Over a video call from her home in Kingston, the singer-songwriter explains that the album is an earnest compilation with relatable songwriting. She says that she wanted to present the truest version of herself when working on her forthcoming album. “Treasure Self Love” also urged her to acknowledge she hadn’t yet embraced her more feminine side. She’s been exploring this ideal through clothing. In her latest video, “Romantic” featuring dancehall artist Masicka, she pushes this agenda further. In it, instead of her natural hair, she wore wig styles, one was reminiscent of Lil Kim’s cropped hair in the iconic “Crush On You” video.
Filming “Romantic” on location in Jamaica pushed Lila to reimagine ‘90s style, too. Since she grew up witnessing her women in pieces fit for bashment parties and clubbing, this was her largest source of inspiration for the video’s costuming. Alongside her assistant Shenelle Katina, Iké was able to snag items that felt directly pulled from the ‘90s. That meant an ultra-cropped knit top, a red vinyl bustier top directly inspired by the dancehall icon Patra, and stacks of acrylic bangles. (Patra also made a special appearance in the video. The track was a spin on her Billboard Hot 100 track “Romantic Call” featuring the legendary hip-hop artist Yo-Yo.) Lila expresses that the detailed nature of the costume design allowed her to bring back a level of authenticity that she feels is lacking in music videos of the moment.
Music has always played an essential role in Lila’s life. Growing up in Christiana with three sisters, she recalls her mother playing old school reggae and dancehall. Despite living a sheltered life, the artist expresses that her mother loved dressing her daughters up in varying outfits. She adds that her relationship with thrifted and vintage clothing was also a facet of her life from a young age. Iké would often shop at secondhand stores, where she grew an affinity for vintage clothing that she still carries with her. On any given day, she expresses that you might find her wearing a vintage Bob Marley shirt, alluding to her fixation on the beloved global reggae artist, or a design that she’s altered or created herself. She happens to also be wearing a vintage acid wash tee featuring a graphic of Bob Marley during our interview, which she purchased on a trip to Japan.
Iké tells ESSENCE that after living at home and attending university in Manchester, she decided to leave home. “It never really started with me trying to become an artist,” she shared. Her relocation to Kingston in 2015, where she says many of her friends were already living, became a key moment of her life; this move changed the trajectory of the artist’s life. Initially, she worked at a call center to make ends meet. As time progressed jam sessions, club performances, and late-night recording sessions ensued as she began making a name for herself in the bustling live music scene in Kingston. Lila expresses that the years she spent blooming in Kingston felt transcendent but also transitional. “My entire world just got so much bigger,” she added. “I immediately grew up.”
Pursuing music as a hobby was a newfound freedom for Lila. And it would later begin to feel like fulfilling her destiny when she fought through an unsavory set of circumstances. However, the music she kept creating, perfecting, and performing would lead her to connect with acts including artist and producer Protoje, who was previously nominated for a Grammy Award.
Connecting with Protoje in 2017 and other musicians in Kingston was inspiring and also eye-opening for Lila. Meeting with Protoje led to the creation of Lila’s first two singles, “Biggest Fan” and “Gotti Gotti.” It also ignited a fire in her to continue along the path she’d been building for herself. By 2019, she was on stage in Brooklyn at the BRIC Festival accompanying the previously mentioned artist.
Lila says she was truly able to witness the core of live reggae music in real time during this stage of her life. “It was everything I dreamed of, becoming an artist with a community of other artists who share the same interests.” To Lila, living in Kingston intensified her desire to become successful and prove to her mother that she’d made the right decision to leave her hometown. By broadening her scope, she says her world and her dreams began to collide. The singer-songwriter mentioned during this point of our conversation that receiving the opportunity to do what she truly loves is the opposite of getting trapped in a system that was dictated to her from birth.
Iké’s musical partnership with Protoje and signing to his label and artist management company In.Digg.Nation Collective in 2020 proved to be fruitful as it kickstarted the success that soon followed her. That same year, she released her debut EP, “The ExPerience.” She went on to receive a nomination for “Best Reggae Act” at the 2020 British MOBO Awards. Performances on NPR’s Tiny Desk and “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” alongside Protoje are career highlights that led to the mainstream music industry catching up to Lila’s distinct artistry. This summer she will make her first appearance at Jamaica’s Reggae Sumfest, which is no small feat. It speaks to her talents in addition to her growth as an artist.
“Treasure Self Love” out on August 22, is a culmination of the steps she’s taken to affirm herself as a woman and an artist. Lila expresses that alongside what she describes as mature songwriting, thematically, she’s also digging into her ideals surrounding self-love and the act of treasuring oneself. “There is something for someone who’s just trying to listen to be entertained,” she shared. “There’s something for someone that’s listening to hear vocal skills and [my] delivery as a singer.” Iké expresses that for reggae purists, there is a portion of the album specifically created for them and their ears.
One notion rings loudly throughout our interview: Clothing is what Lila looks to as a way to explore her depth as an artist, especially when she’s on stage at shows. She tells ESSENCE that many pieces that she chooses to wear are for their comfort. Adidas Samba sneakers, even though they’re trendy, these sneakers are a go-to of Iké. When speaking of what she wears for shows, Lila expresses that being able to move across a stage without any clothes mishaps is of high importance to her. What sticks out most throughout our whole conversation is how intentional she is, especially in this ongoing creative era.
“Bob Marley is the ultimate GOAT, so you can’t go wrong reppin’ him. I actually picked up this one in Japan at a little dope spot called Scripts, and it quickly became one of my favorites.”
“I love a good concert tee—especially the ones that feel like they’ve lived a little, you know. Vintage or vintage-inspired, it just gives character. I also carry similar styles on my own site.”
