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.
Sticks and Stones
Arlissa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They shatter, my faith and my bones
If you would listen, your words they hurt
They creep right under my skin
They cut so deep, oh
Can't you understand
I don't want battles, battles, battles
I won't fight battles, battles, battles
Oh tell me why
We work so hard to break these bones
Can we try
To lay down
These sticks and stones
Sticks and stones
We crash and fall, together
So sad, we don't remember
Why we're tearing us apart
But I can feel the cracks, the cracks in my heart oh
Can't you understand
I don't want battles, battles, battles
And if you lay them in my hand
I won't fight battles, battles, battles
Oh tell me why
We work so hard to break these bones
Can we try
To lay down
These sticks and stones
Sticks and stones
Why does it have to be so hard just surrender
When we got nothing left, nothing left to loose
Ooh
Can't you understand
I don't want battles, battles, battles
And if you lay them in my hand
I won't fight battles, battles, battles
Oh tell me why
We work so hard to break these bones
Can we try
To lay down
These sticks and stones
Sticks and stones
Sticks and stones
The lyrics to Arlissa's song "Sticks & Stones" convey a powerful message about the impact of words and actions on emotional and physical well-being. The first verse describes the feeling of being hurt and shattered by someone's harsh words and actions, which cuts deeply and leaves emotional scars. The chorus reflects the desire to end the cycle of battling and to instead lay down the "sticks and stones," or the hurtful words and actions that cause pain and division. The second verse describes the sadness of two people who are tearing apart, unable to remember why or reconcile their differences, and the cracks that form in the heart as a result.
The repeated refrain of "battles, battles, battles" emphasizes the destructive nature of conflict and the desire to move beyond it. The use of imagery, such as "shatter," "creep," and "cut," vividly conveys the pain and trauma caused by hurtful words and actions. The call to "lay down these sticks and stones" suggests a hopeful direction for healing and compassion instead of bitterness and defensiveness.
In summary, "Sticks & Stones" is a powerful song that conveys a message of empathy, understanding, and healing. Its lyrics emphasize the profound impact of words and actions on emotional well-being and the need for individuals to work together to end the cycle of conflict and division.
Line by Line Meaning
Shot down, by your bullets
Your hurtful words and actions have wounded me deeply.
They shatter, my faith and my bones
Your hurtful words have caused me to lose my faith in you and in myself.
If you would listen, your words they hurt
You don't even realize how much your words are hurting me.
They creep right under my skin
Your words and actions have a way of getting to me deeply and affecting me emotionally.
They cut so deep, oh
Your hurtful words are like a sharp blade that cuts deep.
Can't you understand
I wish you could see things from my perspective.
I don't want battles, battles, battles
I don't want to fight with you anymore.
And if you lay them in my hand
If you keep picking fights with me, I won't engage with you.
Oh tell me why
I need to know why we keep hurting each other.
We work so hard to break these bones
We are putting so much effort into tearing our relationship apart.
Can we try
Can we work together to solve this problem?
To lay down
Let's put down our weapons and stop fighting.
These sticks and stones
These hurtful words and actions that are causing so much damage.
We crash and fall, together
We are destroying ourselves as well as each other.
So sad, we don't remember
We've forgotten what brought us together in the first place.
Why we're tearing us apart
We need to take a step back and figure out why we are fighting so much.
But I can feel the cracks, the cracks in my heart oh
Our fighting is causing deep, lasting damage to both of our hearts.
Why does it have to be so hard just surrender
Why is it so difficult for us to give up our pride and admit our faults?
When we got nothing left, nothing left to loose
We have nothing to gain from continuing to fight, so why do we keep doing it?
Sticks and stones
These simple words and actions are causing so much damage to our relationship.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Arlissa Joann Ruppert, Jamie Scott, MArk Taylor, Patrick Richard Mascall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kevin Fooken
This version is so much better than the one by Nelly Furtado. It's a shame they didn't put it on Spotify and so on. Pretty underrated...
Lena L. Jackson
Totally agreed
DAVID MICHAEL PYPER
THIS HAS EUROVISION WRITTEN ALL OVER IT . A PURE WINNER IF SANG FOR THE UK IN 2013
ColourfulFeather
Amazing lyric video! :)
Privacyishard
My new fav song, and love this video for it!
Nikos King
Privacyishard Nelly Furtado’s version is much better
no
nostalgia
Kane Resurrected
Does anyone know why this is gone off Spotify ?
KST827
Probably because the genre for her old songs didn't take her to the right direction, so she revamped herself and started over with acoustic soulful songs after years of hiatus.
Adon
Thats Gotta Be Kane because she sold this song to Nelly Furtado, who included it in her last album “The Ride.”