Ehiliz: I find myself to be a preacher of the gospel through music

She might not be a household name in the gospel music scene, but Elizabeth Ngozi Ehigiamusoe, popularly known as Ehiliz in the music industry, is not a stranger in industry.

From 1994 when she dropped her first album, Behold I stand, till date, the Anambra State native already has 11 albums to her credit.

“I didn’t go into commercial so to say because you hardly find my music in any of the record stores. However, I do it in my own little way because I felt that’s not what I was called to do. I find myself to be a preacher of the gospel through music. So, my own mind is to reach the world as much as I can through music,” she explained.

However, the decision by the family to relocate to Lagos in 2009 brought about the need to repackage Ehiliz’s music career and possibly commercialise the act, though with the message still intact.

“My husband felt that I should see what I could do to promote my music. Before, I didn’t pay attention, though I was still consistent, releasing albums at least, every two years since 1995. But there’s much improvement now since I started promoting my music; my music is better packaged now with new producers,” she said.

A Masters degree holder in Finance from the University of Benin, Ehiliz, who had a sterling career in banking, is a musical gospel brand and dancer, whose passion and vision are anchored on manifesting God’s abundance of grace and joy through her music. Her passion for music is an offshoot of her calling to sing to God and serve as a blissful balm to millions of lives and the nation at large.

“I’ve been a financial person all along; I worked in the bank for many years, though I’m no longer in the bank. Now, I want to use my music as a tool to touch lives,” she said.

To herald her latest album, which is expected to hit music shelf before end of the year, the singer recently dropped a new single, Heal Our Land, featuring Mike Abdul of Midnight Crew and Monique. The new album, which will be her 12th as a recording artiste, will also feature other singles such as Only You, He Reigns and others

“They will all make up one album, including the track I’m working on, Future Will Tell, which will be the title track. The album will come before the end of the year, but I have five songs already; I don’t do more than seven tracks in my album because I like to shoot video of all my songs. If it’s too much, it’s going to wear me out, considering my age as well,” she enthused.

Aside her music career, Ehiliz is passionate about helping young people realise their dreams. Through her TV show, Vivid View, which airs on MITV Lagos, Ehiliz has succeeded in creating platform that will help in curbing moral decadence among Nigerian youth.

Asked where she draws her inspiration from, the singer said, “it’s God; if God gives you gift, He gives you what it takes. Sometimes, I will be sleeping and just be singing in my dream; when I wake up, I know God gave me the lines and I will write it down. Sometimes, it’s just a line,” she noted.

She continued: “I once saw ‘Future will tell’ written on a pickup van and I just picked it and internalised it. But since I started singing, it never occurred to me to write a song out of it, not until last year. So, God said to me, ‘write a song with Future will tell’, which I’m currently working on. Sometimes, I will be washing and I get the inspiration to write a song; sometimes, I get inspiration from events around me,” she said.

As a career woman, wife and mother, Ehiliz seems to have perfected a way to handle her tight schedule, while not losing sight of her passion for music.

“Marriage shouldn’t be a hindrance to pursuing your dream; I have a small philosophy of ‘plan your work and work your plan.’ For instance, if I want to go to the studio, most time it’s on Saturday. If I want to go for programmes, it must be in the evening after close of work; if I’m going to play in the church, it has to be in the evening. While my children were younger, I make out time to ensure that everything was fine with them at home, but they are old now; they are taking care of themselves. In fact, I’m alone with my husband now,” she said.

From the way Ehiliz spoke about her husband, it’s obvious that the Edo State native has been a pillar of support for the singer.

“He has ben very supportive; he understands the passion and vocation the wife has. He gives me support morally, financially and all that. So, to the young ones, marriage should not be an issue in pursing your dream; just discuss it with your partner, make plans and follow it through,” she said.