Reggae Rock News

For Immediate Release:

LILA IKÉ’S FIRST STUDIO ALBUM TREASURE SELF LOVE ARRIVES
TOMORROW FRI. AUG 22 (AVAILABLE HERE)

Ft H.E.R., Joey Bada$$, Maverick Sabre, Protoje and Masicka

London release show (Aug 22) + NYC SummerStage (Sep 27) 

Download Press Photos (by Destinee Condison)

Jamaican singer-songwriter Lila Iké, a defining voice of her generation, releases her first full-length album, Treasure Self Love, tomorrow via Wurl Iké Records & In.Digg.Nation Collective under exclusive license to Ineffable Records. Blending reggae, soulful R&B, and dancehall, the 11-track LP explores love in all its forms—romantic, self, and divine—holding true to her roots while exploring global musical influences.

Executive produced by Lila Iké alongside Grammy-nominated reggae star Protoje, who has mentored her since the start of her career, the album was recorded at Protoje’s Habitat Studio and the legendary Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston. It fuses live drums, bass, horns, and guitars from Jamaica’s top session musicians with programmed beats and synths from producers across different nations, creating a fresh, contemporary reggae sound.

Treasure Self Love features collaborations with international stars like R&B powerhouse H.E.R., Brooklyn-born rapper/actor Joey Bada$$, and UK soul singer Maverick Sabre, alongside Jamaican talents Protoje and dancehall sensation Masicka.

On Treasure Self Love, Lila Iké pays homage to the classics while putting her own spin on them. “All Over The World” ft. Protoje—accompanied by a video filmed across six countries—celebrates Jamaican music’s global influence and draws inspiration from Rascalz’s Barrington Levy–assisted ’90s hit “Top of the World.” Her sultry summer hit “Romantic” ft. Masicka is a modern take on dancehall legend Patra’s 1994 anthem “Romantic Call,” and “Scatter” samples Peter Tosh’s “Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised)” and Garnett Silk’s “Complain.” Grounded in spirituality and inspired by Psalm 68:1 as a shield against negativity, Lila recently performed “Scatter” live on COLORS.

These previously released tracks follow the soul-stirring heartbreak anthem “Too Late To Lie” and the intimate collaboration “Fry Plantain” with Joey Bada$$, a heartfelt homage to one of Jamaica’s culinary staples. Joey reprises his role as Lila Iké’s love interest, having previously appeared in the video for her acclaimed track “He Loves Us Both” featuring Grammy-winning H.E.R., which The New York Times hailed as one of The Best Songs So Far of 2024.

Lila Iké reveals a deeply introspective side, exploring pain, vulnerability, and the journey toward healing on the latter half of her album. In “Serious,” jazzy tones meet raw honesty, capturing the weight of inner struggle—“Who feels it knows” reflects the mind under siege. “Brighter Days” turns toward hope, imagining light beyond the darkness. On “All That and More” ft. Maverick Sabre, calm, meditative piano chords provide the backdrop for a shared exploration of vulnerability, as the two artists lift each other with affirmations that build into a choir-like hymn of peace and hope. “Love in a Lovely Way,” incorporating Garnett Silk’s “Place In Your Heart,” celebrates love as a force for guidance and renewal. Across these songs, Lila transforms personal pain into self-reflection and growth, embodying the essence of Treasure Self Love.

Reflecting on this journey, she says in an interlude at the end of “Serious”, “My whole life I have searched for a feeling, one that mirrors my soul, something I could count on to heal my pain and make me whole. Today I have found that treasure within myself and it warms my heart, the purest love I know is through my own work of art. Treasure self love.”

Download Album Artwork

Lila Iké will continue to expand her footprint worldwide and celebrate the new album on the road. Fresh off debut shows in São Paulo, Brazil and Jamaica’s Reggae Sumfest and her festival set at Belgium‘s Reggae Geel — she heads to London to perform songs from the new album on release day. She will then take the stage at the Caribbean Music Awards in Brooklyn, New York, where she is nominated for three awards: Reggae Collaboration of the Year and Reggae Song of the Year for “Fry Plantain” featuring Joey Bada$$, and Female Reggae Artist of the Year, a title she has won two years in a row. She will return to NYC at the end of September for a free Summerstage concert with Kabaka Pyramid. Details and dates are listed below.

Lila Iké

Hailing from the small countryside town of Christiana, Jamaica, Lila Iké grew up with her mother and three sisters, shaped early on by both hardship and hope into the powerful voice the world now hears. Her breakthrough EP The ExPerience, released in May 2020 via In.Digg.Nation Collective/RCA Records during the pandemic, introduced her to global audiences, earning back-to-back MOBO nominations for Best Reggae Act (2020 & 2021) and performances on  NPR’s Tiny Desk and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s  #PlayAtHome series alongside Protoje. NPR hailed her for “pushing Jamaica’s next wave of reggae forward,” while The Daily Beast called her “one of the most exciting young talents to have recently emerged from Jamaica—or anywhere else,” praising her “songs of survival and resistance” and vocals that evoke Nina Simone, Sade, and the late Garnett Silk. Her work has also earned acclaim from Rolling Stone, The New York Times, BBC, and Vogue as well as recent covers on RIDDIM and Viper magazines and led to high-profile collaborations including Jorja Smith (“Greatest Gift”) and Davido (“Flex My Soul”). Beyond music, Lila is a cultural trailblazer in Jamaica, openly sharing her mental health journey and founding the Blessings & Light Foundation to support young creatives across the island.

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TOUR DATES:
Aug 22 @ Signature Brew Blackhouse Road in London, UK (Tickets)
Aug 28 @ Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, NY (Tickets)
Sep 27 @ Coney Island Amphitheater in Brooklyn, NY (Tickets)

TREASURE SELF LOVE TRACK LISTING:

1. Scatter [Produced by Jonah Christian x Protoje x Ziah .Push]
2. Too Late to Lie [Produced by Winta James]
3. Sweet [Produced by Cadenza & Nana Kwabena]
4. Fry Plantain ft. Joey Bada$$ [Produced by D.K. the Punisher, Additional Production: Protoje]
5. All Over the World ft. Protoje [Produced by Ziah .Push & Protoje]
6. Romantic ft. Masicka [Produced by Juls & Dunw3ll]
7. All That and More ft. Maverick Sabre [Produced by New Machine, Additional Production: Protoje & Lila Iké]
8. He Loves Us Both ft. H.E.R. [Produced by Protoje & Ziah .Push]
9. Serious [Produced by Tim Suby & Protoje]
10. Brighter Days [Produced by Noah Ehler]
11. Love in a Lovely Way [Produced by JindaSounds]

LILA IKÉ CRITICAL PRAISE

WATCH Lila Iké on Latest Episode

“What sticks out most…how intentional she is, especially in this ongoing creative era”

*Best Songs of 2024 [“He Loves Us Both”]*

RIDDIM MAGAZINE COVER (SUMMER 2025)

VIPER MAGAZINE COVER (DEC 2024/JAN 2025)

“Lila Iké is redefining reggae with a global vision..illuminating the vibrant diversity of the reggae and soul genres” 

“a beautiful fusion of reggae, dancehall, R&B, and hip-hop…powerful sound and stage presence.” 

“…a glistening slow-jam duet [He Loves Us Both] with a gentle reggae pulse that reminds you of Iké’s dancehall-leaning records to date.”

“…one of the most exciting young talents to have recently emerged from Jamaica—or anywhere else…her songs of survival and resistance hit home in America…vocals suggest the smoky eloquence of the late Nina Simone, the sultry cool of Sade and the emotive rendering of her favorite singer, the late Garnett Silk…”

“Lila Ikè wastes no time pushing Jamaica’s next wave of reggae forward. Admire the realness. Lila’s vocal agility can bend notes and transcend genres, the kind of voice that makes you want to turn to your friend at a show and say “Is she for real??”