★★★★☆
When the light yet powerful voice of Lila Iké speaks, the world shall listen. The Jamaican songbird’s reggae track “Thy Will” warns that the unjust violence she has witnessed in Jamaica will not be forgotten. The accompanying music video, which premiered on Feb. 23, mirrors the song’s simple, effective message that calls for change.
Like old school reggae, “Thy Will” enlists a choir for supporting vocals, complementing the choice to set some of the music video in a church. Although the song was released on her album The ExPerience in May 2020, the visuals for this version of the prophetic track feature fellow Jamaican artist Skillibeng.
Lyrics such as “And when we’re one / This is when we’ll overcome” clearly aim to inspire listeners by emphasizing themes of unity—a key to creating change for Iké. Iké embodies a revolutionary spirit, as news headlines detailing the injustices people in her community have faced interrupt the video and clips show her taking to the streets to protest such injustices.
The varied lighting in some scenes makes the visual effects and message more prominent, especially when juxtaposed alongside shots of the protest, which are in black and white.
The past year has seen music videos centered around social justice from dozens of Black American artists such as Teyana Taylor’s “Still” or Alicia Keys’ “Perfect Way To Die.” Iké’s video reminds the world that the fight against systemic racism and corruption is a global struggle. While her video specifically highlights issues of social justice in Jamaica, the song does not explicitly reference the country, allowing many audiences to relate to the music.
Although issues of social advocacy are important and oftentimes heavy topics, there is room for celebration. When the beat drops toward the end of the song, neither Iké nor the churchgoers can avoid the musical whims of freedom as they dance through the song’s ending.
Photo Courtesy of RCA Records
