Arlissa began writing music whilst still at school, studying for her A-levels. At 19 years old she was signed to London Records and then with Jay Z ’s Roc Nation. "I was writing and recording with a friend. He got some people from London Records down to the studio and they offered me a contract the same day.
"The label were playing my music to some people at Roc Nation in New York. Joe Brown walked past, heard the music and said on the spot, ‘I want her’. I flew out the next week, met Joe and signed a management deal.”
Arlissa’s track Hard To Love Somebody gained attention from a publisher, which eventually was passed on to Nas . After hearing the track Nas approached her to feature on it, he flew Arlissa out to LA in order to record the collaboration in person.
On working with Nas, Arlissa said, "The whole experience was completely surreal, my ex was obsessed by Nas, and we used to listen to him all the time."
"He just makes you feel so comfortable.”
"It wasn’t until I was on the plane home that I suddenly realised, '****, I just did a track with Nas’. It’s been an incredible opportunity."
Arlissa is only the second UK artist to collaborate with Nas after Amy Winehouse.
Hard To Love Somebody was chosen as Scott Mills’ record of the week on Radio 1 in November 2012.
Arlissa was named as one of the BBC’s one to watch for 2013, when she made the longlist for the sound of 2013.
Arlissa second single Sticks & Stones was released on 3rd March 2013. The Daily Star gave the track a 9/10, saying “There’s so much more to the Londoner than just fitting into a scene - she's already duetted with Nas, and she doesn't sing like anyone else around. The funky percussion sounds like Sticks & Stones, but ultimately it's just a fierce pop song. She'll definitely stick around.”
Arlissa followed up Sticks & Stones with another single, Into The Light, released in November of the same year. It featured on multiple Littlewoods advertisements during Christmas.
Her debut album, Battles, is still awaiting a release; a new single, which is a cover of the Olive song You're Not Alone is gaining radio airplay and is set to be released soon.
Into the Light
Arlissa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This live won't be enlightened
I breath out and let go
Who know which way the wind blows
Bye bye bye
Bye bye ??
Don't know what I'm hoping for
I reach out
I use my hands to seize it
I see tomorrow burning bright
And so I run
I run into the light
Open up my eyes
And show me live I never knew
Run into the light
Carry me away on waves
Illuminate my heart
Running into the light
Keep my hope
Loose my way
No slow fade falls in the wrong place
My choices
My mistakes
I learn mine to make up
I see tomorrow burning bright
And so I run
I run into
Open up my eyes
And show me live I never knew
Run into the light
Carry me away on waves
Illuminate my heart
Running into the light
And you rise
And you fall
And you take what you get
Being led by the heart
And not by the head
And we go
And we go
Running into the light
And you rise
And you fall
And you take what you get
And the snow that will fall
In the place that ??
And we go
And we go
Running into the light
And you rise
And you fall
And you take what you get
Being led by the heart
And not by the head
And we go
And we go
Running into the light.
The song "Into The Light" by Arlissa is about chasing after one's dreams and never giving up hope or losing sight of what really matters in life. The opening lines of "Fast fuse I ignite it/This live won't be enlightened" sets the tone for the rest of the song, as Arlissa sings about taking control of her own destiny and not settling for a life that lacks meaning or purpose. She sings about the uncertainty of the future and not knowing which way the wind will blow, but ultimately decides to run towards the light and embrace the unknown.
The chorus of the song is particularly powerful as she sings "Open up my eyes/And show me life I never knew/Run into the light/Carry me away on waves/Illuminate my heart". From these lyrics, it's clear that Arlissa wants to break free from the confines of her old life and experience something new and exciting. She acknowledges that mistakes and failures will be a part of this journey, but it's better than staying stagnant and never pursuing one's dreams.
The bridge of the song highlights the importance of following one's heart and not solely relying on logic or practicality. The repetition of "And you rise/And you fall/And you take what you get/Being led by the heart/And not by the head" emphasizes the message that sometimes the best decisions in life are made by following one's intuition and taking risks.
Line by Line Meaning
Fast fuse I ignite it
I am quickly setting off a spark within me
This life won't be enlightened
I know that my current state of being won't result in enlightenment
I breath out and let go
I exhale and release any tension or negativity within me
Who know which way the wind blows
It is unpredictable where life will take me
Bye bye bye
I am leaving something behind
Bye bye ??
I am uncertain about what I am leaving behind
Don't know what I'm hoping for
I am unsure of my desires and goals
I reach out
I extend myself to grasp something
I feel it
I sense something
I use my hands to seize it
I take hold of what I desire
I see tomorrow burning bright
I envision a promising future
And so I run
I take action to move towards my aspirations
I run into the light
I am moving towards a bright and positive future
Open up my eyes
I want to see beyond my current perspective
And show me life I never knew
I want to experience and discover new aspects of life
Carry me away on waves
I want to be taken on a journey
Illuminate my heart
I want my heart to be filled with light and positivity
Keep my hope
I hold onto hope to guide me through challenges
Loose my way
I lose direction and feel lost
No slow fade falls in the wrong place
I am avoiding a gradual decline in the wrong direction
My choices
My decisions and actions
My mistakes
My failures and errors
I learn mine to make up
I take responsibility for my mistakes and learn from them
And you rise
You experience growth and success
And you fall
You face challenges and obstacles
And you take what you get
You accept what comes your way
Being led by the heart
You follow your emotions and intuition
And not by the head
You don't solely rely on logic and reason
And we go
We continue moving forward
Running into the light
Persistently working towards a positive future
Contributed by Hailey N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Arlissa
Who’s ready to hear my debut EP “The Lovers”? 😍🙋🏽♀️ you can find it here : https://arlissa.ffm.to/thelovers.oyd ✨
Let me know below which song is your favourite 🤗 xx
Karin Kedikian
I can’t believe I found this gem of a song again after 7 years. This song and Sticks & Stones got me through tough times!
Benzoclown
I hope this comes back to the U.S. iTunes store. I really want to purchase this, and listen to it on the go. :/
Yasin
it's a joke isn't it, Spotify has silently removed it too
deb
I usually don't look up to music for comfort, but honestly this song helped me through a lot of harsh times. It's just so optimistic... The rhythm, lyrics and everything else. Thank you Arlissa, keep up the great work!
(GP) Careerhunter 2947
When I'm lost and don't know where to go, this song gives me strength and it also guides me/tells me where to go
(GP) Careerhunter 2947
This song gives me chills, when I die 30 years later, I want this song played at my funeral
Deborah Herzberg
Amazing voice!!!
Sgrinwaipwr
Lovely. I thank Littlewoods for using this in their advert or I may never have heard this. Might be my theme tune for Christmas 2013.
Elle De Jour
Love this track! So amazing!