Singer and songwriter Lila Iké is quick to admit that it was a difficult process, selecting the final 11 tracks that comprise her début album Treasure Self Love.
The set was released on August 22 via Wurl Ike Records/In.Digg.Nation Collective/Ineffable Records.
It arrived five years after the Christiana, Manchester-grown artiste dropped her debut EP The ExPerience in 2020.
“It was really hard, we started out with 13 songs and I never necessarily wanted to take this long to put out this album, but I kinda changed labels and you done know the label situation can get a little bit tricky sometimes. So, I really wanted to put it out when I had control over the music; the quality of the music is crucial. And it was a lot of work; sleepless nights, listening to the rhythms and writing the songs,” the artiste explained in an interview with the Jamaica Observer backstage at the grand finals of PAN 2025 event on Sunday at Jamaica College.
She continued: “We all know what self-love means; it’s really like tapping into self, and for this album I decided to go deeper. I was pretty vulnerable, and I spoke about a lot of things that I wanted to highlight.”
Treasure Self Love features production by local and overseas producers, including Winta James, Protoje, and producers from Florida and Los Angeles.
Said Lila Ike: “People know me for singing songs that highlight social commentary, but this album was more about me. I wanted to speak about my own personal struggles to kinda just ‘humanise’ myself. When you treasure something you handle it with care, and I feel like the collaborations range from Jamaica to dancehall to reggae to hip hop and R&B.
American R&B singer and musician H.E.R., Joey Bada$$, Protoje, Maverick Sabre, and Masicka are featured on
Treasure Self Love.
During her performance at CB PAN 2025 Grand Finals, Lila Iké delivered a creditable showing, which saw members of the audience singing along to songs like Romantic, Second Chance, Where I’m Coming From, Thy Will among others.
Patrons, both young and old, connected with the singer.
Asked how she thought she earned the respect of the different demographics, Lila Iké said: “I feel like it stems from honesty. I grew up in front of everyone; from my first song Biggest Fan. They got to grow with me, both triumph and trial, and I feel like when you are honest in music, things that you go through, the things you’ve seen, then you connect with more people. I’m really a down-to-earth girl.”
Lila Iké serves are executive producer alongside Grammy-nominated reggae star Protoje, who has mentored her since the start of her career.
Treasure Self Love was recorded at Protoje’s Habitat Studio and the legendary Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston. It fuses live drums, bass, horns, and guitars from Jamaica’s top session musicians with programmed beats and synths from producers across different nations, creating a fresh, contemporary reggae sound.
It features collaborations with international stars like R&B powerhouse H.E.R., Brooklyn-born rapper/actor Joey Bada$$, and UK soul singer Maverick Sabre, alongside Jamaican talents Protoje and dancehall sensation Masicka.
Lika Ike won the Caribbean Music Award last week for Reggae Artiste of the Year – Female. It was her third win in the category.
