Premiere: Namibian Rapper Lioness Finds Catharsis With “Wish You Were Here”

Here to work through some recent heartache, Namibian rapper and singer Lioness is switching things up from her usual rap-focused sound with something a little more melodic on “Wish You Were Here” (taken from the album of the same name, which dropped today). Filmed against the stunning landscapes in Cape Town by Marlon du Plooy, the title couldn’t be more fitting. But, as the track unfolds, it becomes clear this is about more than the beautiful South African setting

“‘Wish You Were Here’ is a song I wrote when I was infatuated with an ex partner of mine,” Lioness told Complex over email. “It was a long-distance relationship where I felt very insecure about my position in his life. He had so many women who would drool over him. He had a bad history, and I thought I could be that safe haven and rehabilitation for him. My love was too advanced for him.”

Fortunately for us fans, she was able to channel that heartache into something productive. They don’t love you like I do, that’s true, she sings on the hook, tinting her sweet melodies with a tinge of sadness as she works to achieve catharsis—or at least closure—through her art.