We fell in love with her voice back in 2008 when she and Tonix released ‘Beera Nange’. Then she basked in oblivion. After so much reflection, Lilly Ahabwe is finally bouncing back to finish what she started.
As she releases her debut full track album, the singer opens up about how she has evolved as an artist, her influences and why it’s important to be authentic.
In your Youtube vlog you talk about how you learned and unlearned somethings about yourself before making this come back. What are some of the things you learned about yourself?
I’ve learnt quite a bit of things, but I think the thing that stands out for me is acceptance. I’ve learnt to accept myself – what I mean by that is there are certain things about myself; little quirks that I thought were weird about myself, like being shy, awkward, introverted… I kind of felt like a person like that had no place in the music industry. I thought there would be deterrents for me. But with growing up and having a little more self awareness, I’ve come to understand that the things that make us different are exactly our superpower, they set us apart from other people. With time I have come to use those very things that I thought were things to set me back, I have incorporated them into my art and my process. It has helped me to be a lot more myself. For example, if you listen to Gukuba, the very first line says “I’m usually a shy girl, I don’t like to say much” so I owned it, and I took it and made it part of my song. I feel like that makes the song so much more me and so much more authentic. To me, an artist that really pours themselves into something creates something a lot more effective.
Your sound is soft and smooth, which yes is perfect for the millennial Ugandan listener, but will have to compete with the up tempo dance sound dominating the airwaves. Do you see yourself delving into other style genres as you go a long?
Yes, I definitely do, which is because I’m inspired by so many different things. As an artist, you have a style that you gravitate towards, but I listen to so much music, I do love RnB- it’s my default, but artists from many more other genres inspire me, so it depends. If by the time I’m writing another album inspired by another different genre, then it’s okay with me. One thing with me is I don’t want to put myself in a box, I want complete and utter freedom when creating my music. You shouldn’t be surprised if you see me doing something completely different from this album. I like to push myself, I like to see what more I can do, so yeah. It’s definitely a possibility.
*in addition* So I think it’s very important to make it clear from the very start, my intention coming into this industry is not to compete with anyone or try to be like anyone else. I’m just trying to be myself and to do the music that I want to do, and bring something new to the industry. That’s my mindset. My delving into other genres, like I said, is more about how I feel inspired at the time, but still…it won’t be because I’m trying to keep up or catch up with other artists, or anything like that. It will be because I feel like it, because that’s what I’m vibing with at the time.
Let’s talk about Freedonia. How long has it taken you to create this album. What was your thought process as you created it.
It took me about a year to create Freedonia, I started in January 2019, and we completed the recording process in January 2020… well we finished recording in November but editing and mastering went all the way to January. My thought process was, I was coming from a place where I had struggled for a while, thinking to myself, “should I create a commercial record? Something that sounds like everything else you hear on radio, or I create something that I want to create? Do I just let myself go and make whatever comes to my head?” and for the longest time I always tried to make a commercial song, and always obsessed, “Oh my God, is this going to become a hit? Blah blah blah” But this time with Freedonia I just decided I was going to let myself loose and it opened me up. The writing process became really easy once I decided to do that, and I just said I’m not going to give myself any boundaries, I’m just going to write whatever comes to my head. I had no particular concept when I started this album – I didn’t even have a name in mind! I just started working and in the end when the songs started to be compiled, that’s when the idea for the name and everything else came into place. So that was it, I decided to let myself go and be my most authentic self. If people like it, great. If not, at least I had fun doing it!
In 2008 when you burst on the scene, you came off as shy or an introverted. You had a big song, but we barely knew a thing about you. You say with this album you’re welcoming us into your world; your thoughts and emotions. Should we assume the old Lilly is gone? And how much has changed?
First of all, I’ll say this: I don’t think people really ever completely change. Of course, there’s still that bit of me in me but, I’m older, yeah? I’m not as shy as I used to be. My introversion is not as intense as it used to be, plus you look at people, they seem quiet to you, but they’re really not. And that for me is why I named the album Freedonia. There’s this place in my mind where I’m taking you guys to. There’s a lot of stuff going on, my thought process is mostly inward, not outward. So I’m still an introvert, still just a teensy bit shy. I wouldn’t say I’m still a very shy person any more. But I guess those are parts of me that’ll always be with me. But I’ve learnt how to control those feelings, and honestly I feel like my introversion makes me into the artist and person that I am. I think one of the mistakes I made coming into this industry was thinking that an artist has to be a certain way; look, think and act a certain way. She has to be super extroverted. But I’ve learnt that no, being introverted makes me able to write those deep lyrics. It’s what makes my lyrics more thoughtful because I actually take time to think through these things. So have I changed? Yes and no.
I have changed, obviously, because I’m grown, I’m older, I’ve evolved. You can never truly stay the same. I’m definitely a more open person than I was then, I am more willing to let people in, and let them know what I stand for, so you can look forward to that.
‘Beera Nange’ was and still is a big song. It was Toniks’ breakthrough. What’s your relationship with him now? And do you intend to work with him again in the near future?
Oh yes, it was a huge hit. I still have people come up to me now and say “oh aren’t you that girl who sang that song?” So, I agree, it was a big song. Tonix, I have nothing but mad respect for him. I respect him so much as an artist, and as for whether I intend to work with him again, it’s more of if an opportunity arises and we’re both into it, we both want to do it, it shall happen. You never know. It’s one of those things of, we’ll see.
What’s your most favourite song on this album?
My favourite song, oh this is a very hard question to answer, because I love all the songs on my album. I think my favourite song is Kisses. I’d say it’s my favourite because of what inspired it and who it’s about. So Kisses is about my son, my little boy (who you hear in the background). Yeah, I just tried to capture his spirit in that song, and talk about the kind of person that he is, such a light, such a beautiful soul. And he’s brought so much joy into our lives so writing that song was such a pleasure for me and, the best thing is that I got to have him on the track as well.
‘Freedonia’ is out now! Find it on Apple music here. On Tidal here. You can also purchase the album via Mookh using Mobile Money here.
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