Catching Up With Lize Ehlers
Multiple award-winning singer and songwriter Lize Ehlers is a very busy woman.
Apart from her monthly gigs at The Village Sunday Market, the trailblazer, also known as DJ Rise Ehlers, does the social Song Night Namibia calendar for Craft Cafe Bellissima as well.
The 2019 Namibian Annual Music Awards (Namas) female artist of the year organises the artists and sound equipment for the weekly Who’s On Stage event, which features an artist every Friday and Saturday between 19h00 and 22h00 at Craft Cafe Bellissima in Windhoek’s Grove Mall area.
“I draw a lot of inspiration from singing live. I always refer to performing live as my medicine and hope which drives me to keep going in my quest to achieve more,” she says.
“Whether commanding a stage, curating space for marginalised voices, or igniting social change through music, some refer to me as an embodiment of artistry with purpose. I remain an unwavering champion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex and other (LGBTQI+) rights.”
Ehlers, who is a private vocal coach and recording consultant, has played a pivotal role in creating one of the most vibrant and inclusive platforms for self-expression and empowerment in the country as co-chief executive of Drag Night Namibia.
“My work with Drag Night goes beyond performance,” says Ehlers. “It is about safety, visibility and community, offering LGBTQI+ artists and allies a space where they can celebrate who they are, unapologetically and proudly.”
Her advocacy has not gone unnoticed. She was crowned as the international extraordinary ally winner at the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association World Conference 2024, which came after she was honoured as Namibia’s best ally at the 2022 Spectrum Awards.
“These accolades are a testament to my unwavering continued commitment to equality, representation and amplifying queer voices through art and activism.”
Her artistic prowess is not only limited to music, as the eight-time Namas winner has also proven to have a special love for film and theatre.
The fact that she was named best actress of the year on two occasions during the Namibian Theatre and Film Awards speaks volumes about her versatility as an artist.
“As founder and director of Song Night, I am mentoring and nurturing countless emerging artists, giving them a stage to develop their craft and step into their power. My belief that music is a tool for social change has shaped a generation of Namibian performers,” Ehlers notes.
Many of these artists credit her as a defining influence in their careers.
More so, Ehlers reinvents herself behind the decks, spinning beats that merge deep jazz, house, Afro-fusion and queer club culture, either as DJ Rise – ‘the Pulse of the Underground’; or as DJ Rise Ehlers – the resident Drag Night DJ and technical director.
“Whether at an underground drag show, a festival or a pride event, my music is rebellion, joy and celebration wrapped into one hypnotic set,” she explains.
Throughout all this fuss around her, Ehlers just dropped a new international single titled ‘Adam & Eve’ with Zambian producer The BeatBanger, and they are currently working on the music video of the song, to be released in June.
There is no stopping the three-time socially responsible artist of the year as she is also the musical director of Sandy Rudd’s ‘Forty Years of Fabulous’ musical, which will take place at the National Theatre of Namibia on 16 and 17 May. She is also in the rocess of recording her first jazz album.
A living icon of art and advocacy, Ehlers is more than an artist – she is a movement.
From transforming the music industry to fighting for minority rights, her work is a blueprint for what it means to use art as a weapon of love, change and liberation.
While everyone is fighting for the mic, Ehlers gives it away. Revolution and showing up are her mantras. Lize Ehlers is here to stay, slay and uplift.
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