Ghanaian singer LALI onthisone has released “Ashiokor,” a four-track EP that finds him turning personal loss into an intimate musical reflection on grief, heartbreak, faith and the process of finding a way forward.
Dedicated to the memory of his late aunt, the project does not try to make loss feel easier than it is. Instead, LALI sits with the emotions that follow losing someone who played an important role in your life, allowing the EP to move through sadness and uncertainty while gradually finding moments of strength and hope.
Across the four tracks, LALI moves between English and Ga, pairing his vocals with warm Afro-fusion production. The sound gives the project an inviting musical foundation while leaving enough space for the personal stories and emotions at its centre to come through.
The title track, “Ashiokor,” carries much of the project’s emotional centre. Named after his late aunt, the song reflects on the disbelief and emptiness that can follow a sudden loss. LALI uses the record to express his gratitude for her presence in his life while openly confronting the reality of her absence.
There is also a sense of purpose within the grief. Rather than allowing the loss to bring his own ambitions to a halt, LALI makes a quiet commitment to pursue his dreams in a way that would make his aunt proud. In that sense, “Ashiokor” becomes both a personal farewell and a tribute to the lasting influence someone can leave behind.
The project then shifts toward resilience with “Korkordene,” featuring Marince Omario. Taking its name from the Ga word for “frog,” the song draws from the animal’s ability to exist comfortably on both land and in water. LALI turns that idea into a metaphor for adaptability, exploring the importance of remaining steady through life’s different circumstances.
“Korkordene” suggests that resilience is not necessarily about avoiding difficult moments. Sometimes it is about learning how to move through them, accepting that life will bring both good and bad experiences and finding the strength to continue regardless.
On “Far Away,” featuring Pheebz, the EP moves into the territory of heartbreak. The song focuses on the emotional distance that develops when someone fails to keep a promise to remain close. While betrayal sits at the heart of the story, LALI approaches it through vulnerability rather than anger, allowing the record to feel more wounded than confrontational.
The closing track, “Alright,” featuring Eli Khay, brings the project’s different emotions toward a more hopeful destination. The Afro-fusion record acknowledges the struggles that come with life but places equal emphasis on gratitude, faith, hard work, and remaining true to yourself.
That progression gives “Ashiokor” a natural emotional journey. It begins with the pain of losing someone important, moves through questions of resilience and heartbreak, and eventually arrives at a place where hope becomes possible without pretending that the difficult experiences never happened.
What makes the EP particularly personal is the specificity behind it. LALI is not simply exploring grief as an abstract idea. He is telling a story connected to a real person and drawing from his own experiences, while the use of Ga adds another layer of cultural and personal identity to the project.
“Ashiokor” ultimately becomes a reflection of how people carry loss with them while continuing to live, work, and dream. LALI onthisone transforms a deeply personal experience into four songs that acknowledge pain while still looking ahead, making the EP both a tribute to his aunt and a statement about the strength required to keep moving forward.
