Lila Iké To Debut First EP ‘The ExPerience’ On May 15

Lila Iké’s seven-track EP will be here in two weeks! 

In an announcement on her Twitter page on May 1, the rising reggae singer says her debut EP, The ExPerience, will arrive on May 15.

Iké has only released four tracks so far. Yet, she is one of the more exciting artists to come out of Jamaica in recent times. Her first single from the EP is “I Spy,” a song she came up with while hanging in Red Hills with producer IzyBeats. I Spy is a sweet, jazzy rendition with an up-tempo reggae beat.  The single’s video, directed by Danny Williams, was filmed in Kingston with cameos from label mates Naomi Cowan, Jaz Elise, and Sevana. 

https://twitter.com/LilaIkeJa/status/1256246588692992000

Joining Iké on The ExPerience is a cast of Jamaica’s most in-demand producers. Ziah + JLL + Iotosh are three of the island’s most promising beat-makers. They worked on “Solitude.” Nas, Damian (Jr. Gong) Marley, Mortimer, and Philip “Winta” James produced “Stars Align” and “Forget Me.” Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Protoje is the executive producer of The ExPerience. He also created the sound for “My Will.”

Born Alecia Tameka Grey, 25-year old Iké hails from Manchester, Jamaica. Her mother restricted the use of TV and cellphones. She also banned all extracurricular activities outside the church. As Iké matured, she used music as a means to bond with her mom. Iké never received any professional training. Instead, she perfected her art by trying to impress her mom.

Iké’s career started in 2017 after she signed with Protoje. She has been recording under his label and management company, In.Digg.Nation, since. In April, In.Digg.Nation Collective signed a partnership deal with Six Course/RCA Records.

Iké released “I Spy” under the RCA label. Her first song, which came out in 2017, was “Biggest Fan.” Then, in 2018, Iké recorded “Second Chance.” Her 2019 offering was “Where I’m Coming From,” a tribute to her hometown, Christiana.

Iké notes that her stage name, Lila, comes from the pet name her family called her when she was growing up. Iké is usually short for the Nigerian name Ikechukwu in the Igbo language. She wanted to use Ikechukwu as her stage name. In fact, she introduced herself as Ikechukwu at her very first performance. Her fans had difficulty pronouncing it, and she realized that it was not going to work. Her friend later suggested Lila Iké, and the name stuck.

The ExPerience has a wave of new anthems and is sure to excite Iké’s fans. It’s also likely to propel Iké as she rises to reggae superstardom.