A celestial journey awaits

Just like a star
You'd be hard-pressed to find a more hard-working woman in the music business than Lioness. She gave tjil some of her valuable time to discuss what she's been up to.
Michael Kayunde
Namibian artist Lioness is set to make waves today with the release of her highly anticipated single, ‘Pull Up’, from her forthcoming third studio album, ‘If Not In This Life'.

Once in a blue moon, you find individuals who push to reach unparalleled levels of mastery. It’s as if there can never be a limit to your potential if you think about it, and it’s this thought that might give you a clearer picture of how far Lioness has come - and will continue to go.

The name might be familiar to many because of her unmissable presence, but best believe that she has been a notable player in the game for longer than most people realise.

Unpolluted character

The road to success is never easy or smooth. This is a common statement, which one would think the majority of people would understand, but that's not really the case. Fans often enjoy the luxury of witnessing artists' glory days, but don't necessarily care too much about the hardships or tough processes they endured to deliver the music we enjoy.

But despite these highs and lows, Lioness embodies an unpolluted character, with listeners today celebrating her art to such an extent that you'd think she's a new introduction to the music industry.

We all know that there’s no denying her talent, and if you have been sleeping on her, you better redeem yourself quickly.

Bold declaration

In an interview with tjil, Lioness mentioned that she chose ‘Pull Up’ as one of the lead singles because the song is 'purely her'. "It’s all of my energy. I wanted people to have a piece of me again,” she said.

The single serves as a teaser from ‘If Not In This Life’, scheduled for release later this month.

With ‘Pull Up’, the rapper returns to the music scene with a revitalised sense of self and purpose. “The song is just another one of those confidence boosters,” she revealed, hinting at the underlying theme of empowerment that shapes the track.

“I needed that for myself, especially after giving birth and going through all these changes.” Balancing the roles of mother and artist, Lioness has undergone profound personal transformation, and ‘Pull Up’ serves as her bold declaration of reclaiming her power - an anthem for herself and a reminder to fans to embrace their own strength.

Deeply personal

As for the album itself, ‘If Not In This Life’ is deeply personal. “I went through a lot of personal challenges when I made the album,” Lioness said. “I had a moment of realisation where I told myself to do everything I want in this life. I chose to live like I don’t have another life, and that has changed my perspective on a lot of things,” the rapper narrated, adding that this carefree and boundary-breaking approach is evident in the themes of the album - self-discovery, resilience and ambition.

The project features collaborations with some prominent African artists, including Gazza, Cleo Ice Queen, Kaladoshas, Paige, Azmo Nawe, Willy G, Mel, Skrypt and Earthtonami.

It's no coincidence that Lioness has the support of the biggest names in the game - she has been paying her dues for close to two decades in a way that has given her 20/20 vision, she said.

Her new album was recorded with DJ Preezy as the sound engineer, and ‘If Not In This Life’ promises to showcase a rich, diverse sound shaped by the collective talent of everyone Lioness enlisted on the body of work.

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Namibian Sun 2024-12-24

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