Selfishness is a trait that sometimes needs to be prioritized for our own benefit. We should prioritise our health, peace and sense of well-being, rather than wear ourselves out to please someone else to our detriment. The cost of not realizing that is often damaging, and figuring that out, British-Ghanaian singer-songwriter Lizzie Berchie learns to prioritize herself over others on her new single ‘I Hope You Understand’.
Inspired by the likes of D’Angelo and Roberta Flack, ‘I Hope You Understand’ is a languidly deep, demure and sensuous track that sets Lizzie Berchie as an enthralling vocalist. We are magicked away with Lizzie’s rich tone – a precious cluster of fermata-ed notes that rise in the air and drift off and then pull us down into an ocean of tranquillity into her acute expression.
Produced by long-time collaborator Hilts feeling is created on the neo-soul offering that is inanimately alive. Dynamic string arrangements, off-beat percussion, steady bass and piano melodies reflect Lizzie’s aching tenderness and vulnerability as she advocates for herself.
Taking a stand, Lizzie holds firm in her convictions something that she normally finds difficult to engage in an honest dialogue with a person in her life who is no longer good for her. Instead of staying, she leaves and closes the door on an uncomfortable chapter in her life. She sings “I’ve had sleepless nights, I’ve had weary days and I’ve tried my best to make it work in many ways.”
Speaking on the track’s origins, Lizzie said: “I wrote this song to tell a story about finding the courage to leave a situation that is no longer for me, through the lens of someone who is always concerned about other people's feelings first, but this time deciding to choose themselves. In this case, it was me leaving my job in the hopes of pursuing music. Others may draw parallels to breaking away from relationships, friendships etc, and this interpretation is welcomed.”
This track follows up her sophomore EP ‘Am I An Adult Yet?’, released in 2023, which explored a depth of genres including neo-soul and jazz to gospel, blues and classical music.
Listen here
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