Il-lifa Unveils the Inspiration Behind His New Single ‘Give Me Water’ and Explores the Powerful Symbolism of Water

il-lifa began his professional music career in 2019 under the name Qwesi with his first single “Happy People.” Since then he has dedicated his time to honing in on his craft and developing his unique identity. A force to be felt, not just seen. After a period of reflection and creative hibernation, il-lifa was born. He has gone to release two singles under this new identity , one of which “Give Me Water”, which has left me in awe and eagerly awaiting more of what he has to offer!

“Give Me Water” is a celestial yet introspective Afro soul track. One of which has you feeling like you are on the verge of some mystical revelation but also introspective enough to ground you back to Earth. On it Il-lifa croons “If you see me come give me water, cause I’m nearing the fire, and I’m burning out…” It reminds us that while the journey may be tough, relief is near—whether it’s the light at the end of the tunnel, or in this case, the water that cools the fire.

Give Me Water Visualizer by il-lifa

I had the pleasure of speaking with Ghanaian based Artist il-lifa and the release of his latest single Give Me Water. Continue reading below to see what he had to say!

ALTZINGA – Please tell me a little about yourself?

Il-lifa- il-lifa is a Ghanaian-based centralized creative body who channels the energy of wild and ethereal beings, bringing forth a new age of authentic sounds. I embody sounds considered as Alternative Afro Soul, drawing melodies from African, contemporary, and Western culture. My sounds are the result of experimenting with genres, including Afro-fusion, Hip-Hop, Trap, Highlife, Alternative, and Indie music.

ALTZINGA- What made you decide that music is a thing for you?

Il-lifa- A friend in my high-school saw me rapping to my seniors after our evening studies and he later called me to tell me how good I was, thinking the lyrics to the rap were mine, but instead I was just lip singing a Meek Mill verse. So I told him the truth and he told me how real it looked when I was rapping to my seniors. Then he advised me to start writing my own lyrics and that I would be good at it and I did and now I’m here. Big shout out to Scanzer.

ALTZINGA- Introduce us you and your musical history?

Il-lifa – I started my early days as a rapper back in high school and gradually evolved into my singing persona. However, after collaborating on several songs with Kamafo, Nana Milla, Jove Kente, and many others, I underwent more than a year of hibernation to reinvent myself as both an artist and an off-the-scene figure. That’s when “il-lifa” was birthed. For il-lifa’s come-up, I debuted my second single, but a first single under the name il-lifa, called “Scatter,” a track that layers mindfulness, internal healing, and a groovy vibe that keeps the listener glued. This was followed by my second and latest single “Give Me Water,” an Alternative Afro Soul vibe that communicates the need for inner peace amidst life’s ups and downs, and how water can be used to achieve such tranquility.

ALTZINGA- How did you come up with the name il-lifa? Does it have any special meaning behind it?

Il-lifa – il-lifa is a name I made for myself out of a nickname I got during my days in high school, which was “Khalifa” but was mostly shortened to “lifa” by my male colleagues. Since I started my music journey in high school, I felt it would be the perfect name for my craft, so I decided to make a name out of “Khalifa” which I got “Lifa” and to make it more original, I added “il” which is just a title, so together, “il-lifa”.

ALTZINGA- How did the song “Give Me Water” come about? What was the inspiration behind your latest album/ track?

Il-lifa- My current single ‘Give me Water” came to me during one of my darkest times in life where everything was just going bad for me. Reality was kicking in hard. I was so down mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. One time I came back home from a long bad day and all I wanted was to just go stand in the shower and have the water pour down my head for as long as I could endure and that was when I realized how water can be so therapeutic. The water pouring down on my head got me so relaxed after sometime and it felt like a rebirth. You feel so calm, relaxed and fresh. So ‘Give me Water” is a soul vibe that communicates the need for inner peace midst life’s ups and downs, and how water can be used to achieve such tranquility.

ALTZINGA – I love that! Are there any genres or artists outside of your typical style that you draw inspiration from?

Il-lifa- My musical influences are numerous due to how often I listen to music, which I’ll say is all the time. I can’t go a day without listening to a song, whether it has lyrics or not. I am a huge fan of hip hop, trap, indie, psychedelic music, High-Life and alternative Afrobeats. Listening to artists like Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Travis Scott, 070 Shake, Manifest, Amaarae, Cruel Santino, and Odunsi the Engine and a lot more has shaped my sound a lot due to their creativity, versatility, and their will to explore beyond themselves. As an artist who experiments a lot, my influences broaden regularly. Lately, I’ve been inspired by artists like Billie Eilish, Orion Sun, Kadhja Bonet, MontellFish, Don Toliver, and more alternative and psychedelic sounds.

ALTZINGA – Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process? Where do you usually start?

Il-lifa- can’t really describe my creative process because of how randomly I create, but mostly I try my best to be very calm and with a clear conscience, I tap deep into myself to connect with my inner spirit with some level of meditation. Sometimes, random vibes and melodies play in my head, and then I just build on them.

ALTZINGA- How do you handle creative blocks or periods of low inspiration?

Il-lifa- When I discover I have a creative block, I just admit to the fact that I am blank and do not give myself too much pressure, then I divert my attention to something else, mostly anime and movies. If it’s a song, sometimes I just loop the instrumentals and listen to it without trying to create anything, but just listening, which makes me understand and appreciate the instrumental more.

ALTZINGA- Do you have any rituals or habits that help you get into the creative zone?

Il-lifa – The only ritual that prepares me to my creative zone is a clear open mind, meditation and a free spirit.

ALTZINGA- How do you define your sound, and what makes you stand out as an artist?

Il-lifa- I embody sounds considered as Alternative Afro Soul, drawing melodies from African, contemporary, and Western culture. It channels the energy of wild and ethereal beings, bringing forth a new age of authentic sounds. My sounds are the result of experimenting with genres, including Afro-fusion, Hip-Hop, Trap, Alternative, High-life and Indie music.

ALTZINGA- What message or feeling do you want to convey through your music?

Il-lifa- I want my listeners to feel inspired, understood, and uplifted when they hear my sounds as well as create a connection that transcends words – allowing the music to speak directly to the heart and soul. To offer comfort, insight, or motivation in whatever way it’s needed.