19 years old and already taking the industry by storm, Highlyy is an artist with something to say. Following her global success of a debut single, “Soldier”, the emerging talent is showing no signs of slowing down anytime. Her infectious Afro-pop sound comes to life once more with “Time Like This”, the strong follow up single to her debut.
Growing up surrounded by a musical family, it was only a matter of time before Highlyy introduced her talent to the world. After studying at East London Arts and Music, finding a community of like-minded listeners on TikTok, and working to develop her unique sound, the stars aligned and her hard work paid off. With her all-encompassing, smooth vocals, she effortlessly transitions from Yoruba to French to English — blurring language barriers and creating something meaningful for a truly global audience.
Taking her artistry one step further, she has released three instalments of a video series titled Highlyy’s House Sessions: “Soldier”, a cover of Sam Smith’s “Too Good at Goodbyes”, and a mashup of “Time Like This” with Burna Boy’s “Alone”. The performance videos give us a glimpse at what her studio sessions are like, and allow us to see the emotion behind her songs as she sings with her heart.
We spoke with Highlyy about the viral success of “Soldier”, answered prayers, and becoming a household name.
Watch Highlyy’s House Sessions…
Stream Highlyy…
And now for the interview…
How are you? What are you up to right now?
I’m good! I’m on my way to the studio, just came back from Paris!
When did you start creating music and how has your sound evolved to where it is today?
I started music from a young age, coming from a musical background. My dad took me to my first studio session at like eight years. From then, I was listening to a lot of pop music, Afrobeat, and Congolese music, which all crafted my sounds. So that’s how I mix languages into my music and use pop melodies — all into Afro-pop. It’s from the sounds that I grew up with, which then I mixed.
Do you have a typical songwriting process or does it vary track to track?
Definitely. I hear the beat and then I make melodies. Whatever I’m feeling at that moment is what I put into the song, so that’s what the song would be about.
I would love to hear about your single “Soldier” and the experience of it going viral before its release. What was that whole experience like and how has TikTok helped you to reach an audience and connect with your fanbase?
The whole “Soldier” thing, it’s crazy. I made the song at 4am in the morning. I was with my friends and a friend recommended the beat and everything. I made the song on my laptop and posted it on TikTok. It didn’t do anything on TikTok for like a month, so then I sped it up. I was like, “I might as well speed it up with TikTok. You never know what will happen”. So I sped it up and it literally went viral the same day. It’s crazy. TikTok is a very powerful tool for our generation. It really does help with music.
How did the music video come about? What inspired it and how did you create it?
With the music video, we were just like, let’s make it as authentic as possible. Let’s make it as relatable to me and as real as possible. So we used African props, Congolese culture, from the dancing to the food to the looks, everything. Even the little boy, he represented my little brother — and my little brother was actually in the video as well. It’s just authentic. It’s just real. It’s like real life. I feel like the song is a prayer. It’s a story of what I wanted. So I feel like the music video just takes us through my life.
Let’s talk about “Time Like This”! What does this tell us about you as an artist, as it coexists with “Soldier”?
“Time Like This” just makes sense. It is literally my answered prayer from “Soldier”. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s a continuous storyline from “Soldier”. If you listen to the lyrics of “Time Like This”, I’m just saying, I actually prayed for a time like this — the success from “Soldier” is what I wanted. I prayed for days like this when I was younger. This is everything I dreamed of.
Do you have a career highlight thus far?
Chris Brown, posting “Soldier” on his social media — that was the craziest moment for me. Chris Brown, Chris Brown, Chris Brown, Chris Brown. And obviously the cheers from the show with Oxlade. That was my first performance ever, so the reaction from the crowd was amazing.
You are building such an incredible community and fanbase. What do you hope your listeners take away from your music?
I just want people to be inspired. Like, I want anyone that goes through what I went through, or has dreams to just know that you can do it, as long as you put your mind to it and work hard. I just want people to really feel it. I feel like my music is very touching. As much as it’s a vibe, if you listen to the lyrics, it’s actually really deep.
Is there anything in particular that you’re really looking forward to, in the near or far future?
I’m looking forward to my EP — that’s gonna come out in July. I feel like that’s when people are really going to understand and know who Highlyy is. And, you know, it will put some respect to my name. I’m gonna have a household name. I want people to really know who Highlyy is.
Is there anything you can tell us about the upcoming EP?
You’re gonna have to listen to find out.