Whether she is creating tsunami-like waves with her social media posts or surrounded by the crash of the Caribbean Sea while laying nude in the fetal position on a rock formation in Jamaica—as she does in the opening scene of the video for her latest single, “True Love”—Lila Iké seems to have an affinity for water.
The 27-year-old songbird from Machester, Jamaica, described her first release of 2022 as a “personal love letter to my future self on healing and dealing with everything I’m experiencing at the moment” in a statement shared with VIBE. With its natural beauty, endless purposes in life, and multifaceted symbolism, including survival, rejuvenation, change, and purification, water serves as an ideal theme and backdrop for the visual.
“‘True Love’ is a song that I freestyled almost a year ago. At the time I was in a very emotional space and feeling a bit low in energy due to everything happening with the pandemic,” expressed the “Solitude” singer. “I wanted to find a way to turn what I was feeling into a piece that would give others, who may be feeling the same, some hope.”
The Ayana Riviére-directed video, which dropped on Thursday (March 31), was shot in the coastal regions of St. Ann and St. Thomas parishes, Jamaica, and features scenic views of the mountainous terrain, bird’s eye shots of the crystal-clear turquoise sea, and intimate shots of a fresh-faced, plainly-clothed Iké as she interacts with wild horses.
As the songstress belts, “But you see True love / True love conquers all sin / We are going to be alright / As long as we’re still breathing,” the visual’s unrefined aesthetic shifts to showcase a plume-colored glossy-lipped Iké in a mini dress of the same color singing in front of a dreamy Milky Way.
The breathtaking video for the Natural High Music-produced track closes with Iké, again, dressed in a khaki-colored long linen skirt and matching backless shirt. She walks away from the camera across an arid field in the direction of the distant mountains. As the “Thy Will” singer looks up to the partly-cloudy skies she tightly shuts her eyes and ascends toward the heavens.
Born Alecia Grey, Iké’s mother, who raised her and her three sisters as a single parent, did not initially support her second eldest daughter’s decision to pursue a career in music. However, her mom eventually came around, ultimately becoming her “Biggest Fan,” the title of Iké’s 2017 debut single.
Her effortless vocals combine Reggae, Dancehall, Soul, and Hip-Hop. In May 2020, the vocalist released her debut seven-track EP The ExPerience in conjunction with fellow Reggae singer Protoje’s label and artist management company In.Digg.Nation Collective.
With plans to keep flying high in 2022, the rising star is preparing for the release of her debut album. She’s also set to resume touring for the first time since the start of the pandemic in 2019.
Find more information on her upcoming tour dates and check out the video for “Where I’m Coming From” below. Watch the video for Lila Ike’s latest single, “True Love,” above.
2022 Tour Dates:
May 26 – Cali Roots Festival in Monterey, Calif., United States
June, 24 – Festival Catalpa in Auxerre, France
June 26 – Festival Rencontres et Racines in Audincourt, France
July 1 – Summerjam Festival in Köln, Germany
More dates are to be announced shortly.