South African R&B songstress, Filah Lah Lah is moving up the ranks as she continues to showcase her talents.
Real name Reabetswe Fila Ranamane, this May, Apple Music announced her as the cover star in its Africa Rising artist development program.
In April, she released her debut album ‘On Air’ an 18-track masterpiece, featuring an eclectic mix of soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics.
Adding an innovative twist to the album release, ‘On Air’ was accompanied by visually stunning imagery, elevating the listening experience to new heights.
“The sonic album just had so many interesting elements and then, the album sounds like a movie alone.”
“I was kind of getting into sound design and my boyfriend’s an editor. So, he was teaching me some of the ways to work around sound design and how to incorporate it into music.
“I just thought, man, this is so cool and when we presented it to the label. It was, like a no-brainer. It was kind of a nice organic journey.
Filah Lah Lah is a rising star within six months of releasing her single, ‘Call Me,’ she received a nomination for the Metro FM Music Awards in the Best R&B category, a testament to her undeniable talent and artistic vision.
“I still can’t believe it, to be honest, it felt good, it felt like a great moment. I think in a sense, it felt like it was for all of us in the R&B genre.
“To be recognised in general as an R&B artist in this country it’s an uphill battle. To know that you do your work that could be recognised on a platform like that is surreal.
“I felt like such a princess, even at the awards. It was a great time. I feel really good about the nomination in my head, it’s the same as a win.
In a country where dance music dominates, things can be tricky for an R&B artist navigating the space, Filah Lah Lah has always maintained to make moves that feel authentic to her.
“There’s the internal battle that you have with yourself, because you’re an artist, and it’s hard to be an artist. Then there’s also the external battle of, like, a bunch of people sort of telling you, like, what you should be doing with your career and the moves that you should be making and this and that.
“There’s such precedent, in my career, at least, for doing things that feel authentic to me. I feel like every time I’ve made a move I’ve made it. And then I feel like every time I’ve done anything that wasn’t authentic to me, there was just a huge blow back, or it just didn’t read how it was supposed to.
Knowing who she is and what she is trying to achieve, the messages she is trying to get across and her goals have helped the artist in keeping her authenticity in the cut-throat industry.
A lover of performing Filah Lah Lah says her fans can expect a remix or two from the album, more of her curated shows in the future and who knows maybe a tour. “I guess prepare to be sick of me.”