The secret is out … Lila Ike’s ‘I Spy’ drops tomorrow - First to be released under In.Digg.Nation-Six Course/RCA partnership
Published:Wednesday | April 15, 2020 | 12:00 AMKimberley Small/Staff Reporter
Wrapped up in the announcement of the In.Digg.Nation Collective’s partnership deal with Six Course/RCA Records was the doubly exciting news that label signee Lila Ike will release ‘ I Spy’, a brand new Izy Beats-produced single this Thursday, preceding her debut EP, due out in May.
Still exuding cool in her standard easy tone, the wine glass-wielding reggae artiste shared that she is excited at the prospects the partnership could afford, and is especially satisfied that this major label deal will not threaten her creative freedom.
“I’ve been working with In.Digg Collective for the past three years, and what I’ve always managed to maintain is creative control. Usually, when major labels come into play, that is something that most times, it gets sacrificed,” Lila told The Gleaner.
The partnership came six years after Protoje established the In.Digg.Nation Collective. Following his 2018 Grammy nomination, this major label deal is another turning point for the popular reggae artiste and his team.
ISSUE OF EXPOSURE
In a release, Protoje stated: “I’ve always felt that one of the biggest challenges for Jamaican artistes is the lack of exposure on the world stage. With a label as globally strong as RCA, they are able to provide us a platform to showcase our talents on an even broader international level. I really like the team there and what they are doing, and how they approach music – from the ground level, all the way to the top.”
He continued: “I feel very grateful to have been given the opportunity to not only impact my life and career journey with this deal, but also that of the two other artistes on my label, Lila Iké and Sevana.” All three artistes will release projects through a multi-album venture.
The next steps for Lila are a single and an EP release, and those come while the world suffers the pains of a pandemic. Exciting as the new partnership and project may be, the young songstress must consider what promotion will look like.
“Global health crisis, we’re all going through it. It’s a rough time for everybody, whether or not you’re directly being impacted by the situation. I really just hope for things to get much better, because travelling with the music is a very important part of the promotion and the reach,” she said.
Whether she can travel or not, it is Lila’s hope that the upcoming EP will assist her mission to build her fan base. The plan is to reel in new listeners with versatility, while still satisfying those who are already on board. “As you’ll see, the songs that are in the EP are not necessarily the songs that people have heard from me before. I’m sure they’re gonna be excited for the content and the vibe,” she said.
Released under the new deal, I Spy will hit the platforms on Thursday, April 16. Sevana and Protoje will follow with new music later in the year.