… Ehlers on two decades of shaping Namibian art
By Feni Hiveluah
From her roots in Mariental to global stages in Berlin and Toronto, Lize Ehlers spent over two (2) decades shaping the soul of Namibian art.
As a singer, actress, poet, and co-CEO of Drag Night Namibia, Ehlers shifted her career’s focus from seeking applause to driving deep societal impact.
In this week’s Confident Women column, the award-winning powerhouse opens up about protecting her mental well-being, championing safe spaces, and why the future of Namibia belongs to its creatives.
Q: Your creative journey began in the small town of Mariental, where you discovered your passion for performing at just three years old. How did growing up in the south of Namibia shape the raw artistic identity you carry today?
“Mariental gave me everything before I ever stepped onto a professional stage. It was the foundation of dreams, even if it was nightmarish at times. It taught me community, resilience, humility and imagination. Growing up in a small town meant you had to create magic with very little, and I think that has remained my greatest superpower. My stories come from Namibian soil, Namibian people and Namibian dreams. If I just think about writing down my “Tannie Bettie’s” story, my eyes fill with tears at all the suffering and joy my late aunt endured. Meaning, I have a wealth of stories inside of me simply because of Mariental, my family and my lived experience. Every stage I stand on, whether in Windhoek, Berlin or Toronto, carries a piece of home with it. I am proud to be a storyteller from the south because our stories are relatable and deserve to be seen on the world’s biggest stages. It was people liek my late mother who always said in Afrikaans: “Sing my kind!” Or my Engish teacher Mrs. Heide Van Der Westhuizen who always supported my literary adventures. No wonder I have been vice-chair of the NACN Literature Committee since 2021.”
Q: With a professional career spanning more than two decades, what has been the most profound personal shift you have experienced as an artist from your early days to now?
“When I was younger, success meant applause. Today, success means impact. I have learned that the greatest achievement is not simply filling a theatre or winning awards and I have won eight Namibian Annual Music Awards, and countless local and international awards, but opening doors for someone else to discover their own voice feels even more rewarding! My career has become less about being the loudest voice in the room and more about making sure various voices are represented in the room. That shift gave my work a much deeper purpose from very early in my career.”
Q: You seamlessly blend being a singer-songwriter, actress, poet, playwright, director, and DJ. How do you manage so many creative channels without losing your core artistic voice?
“For me, they are not separate careers. They are different languages telling the same story. Whether I am writing a poem, directing a production or DJing, I am always asking the same question: “How do we make people feel something?” My core has always been storytelling. Every discipline offers me another way to connect with people, spark conversation and celebrate who we are as Namibians.”
Q: You founded Song Night Namibia to offer free mentorship and a live platform for emerging performers. What inspired you to pivot from focusing purely on your own stage career to actively building up others?
“I realised very early that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. I was fortunate to have people who believed in me like Sandy Rudd and my husband Hendrik Ehlers, and I felt a responsibility to become that person for someone else. Song Night Namibia was born from the belief that every young creative deserves a microphone, a stage and someone who genuinely says, “I see you.” Our country has extraordinary artists. What we need now is sustained investment, mentorship and infrastructure that allows them to build careers instead of simply surviving from performance to performance. I am happy to announce I am handing Song Night Namibia over to Yz K. L. U, a young Namibian visionary who excels in agriculture through Urban Eden but also through The Village Sunday Market with Alain Seha. Watch this space. I am still deeply proud that Song Night was a launching pad for some of Namibia’s brightest stars like Priscilla, Sean Kamati, Waters, Frans Marti of The Difference, Arthur Black from The Yesterdaye, Ori and various other unshakable Namibian voices!”
Q: As the co-CEO of Drag Night Namibia, you have used your plat- form to actively celebrate and support LGBTQ+ identities. What gave you the courage to champion this movement in Namibia, and how has it shaped your advocacy journey?
“Love has always been greater than fear. I could never claim to believe in the transformative power of art while remaining silent when people are excluded from it. This is why I preach Love Speech instead of Hate Speech. Drag Night Namibia was never just about performance, it is about visibility, dignity, creativity and belonging. Watching artists finally feel safe enough to stand in their truth has been one of the greatest honours of my life. Advocacy has taught me that courage is contagious. When one person chooses authenticity, it gives others permission to do the same. I am so proud of Miss Mavis Dash & all the Queens & Kings who remain steadfast in building Namibia’s premier drag company into becoming Africa’s leading Drag Emporium. Because ultimately, we just want to entertain you and show you what a massive economic contributor drag can be!”
Q: You are widely known for using your platform offstage to inspire change. At what point in your career did you realize that your art had to be more than just entertainment, but a tool for social justice?
“I realised that every stage is also a platform. Whether I intended it or not, people were listening. That came with responsibility. Namibia is filled with stories that deserve investment, preservation and celebration. Artists are not only entertainers; we are historians, educators and cultural ambassadors. Every song, every play and every performance has the power to challenge injustice, preserve memory and imagine a better future. That is work I take incredibly seriously. This also influenced me to branch out into fashion collaborations and lines with House of Poulton and MN Creations. And why I love working with Myeisha and Popyeni. Because it is proudly Namibian stories being told through the art of fashion and accessories. Art is not only a tool for social justice it is a tool for visibility and inclusivity. The world is still sleeping on Namibia.”
Q: Remaining a dominant and active force in Namibia’s arts scene for over 20 years requires incredible stamina. How have you managed to protect your mental and emotional well-being to avoid creative burnout over the years?
“I have learned that rest is part of the creative process, not the reward for it. I spend time with my family, building puzzles with my kids and listening to vinyls with my husband. I also love watering my plants. I started a boxing club this year with a close friend, the club is called H Two O underfifierce training with Coach Sasa (Tobias Sasa Naule) an inspiring Namibian who is changing lives through boxing. I also joined a running club called Sweat Run Club. Investing into my health and fifitness has been a game changer in my life and career.”
Q : Yo u r journey is described as showing Namibia what it means to be truly unforgettable. At this stage of your life, how do you personally defifine what it means to leave an unforgettable legacy?
“Legacy is not something you leave behind after you are gone. It is something you build every day through people. If, years from now, there are thriving Namibian artists who say they stayed in the industry because someone believed in them, then I will know my work mattered. I dream of a Namibia where our creative sector is recognised as an economic force, where artists are funded, protected and celebrated as professionals. That is the legacy I want to continue contributing to. I do this with my private vocal lessons that I offer to varoius shining voices in Namibia. But another testimony to this is my involvement with NTN’s Actor’s Training Lab. NTN Stage Actors Training Lab 2026.”
Q: As a powerhouse who has successfully broken barriers across multiple creative industries, what is your ultimate advice to young Namibian women who want to build a sustainable, unapologetic career in the arts?
“Do not wait for permission to dream loudly. Your voice has value before anyone applauds it. Invest in your craft, understand the business behind your talent, collaborate generously and never apologise for taking up space. Most importantly, tell Namibian stories. The world does not need another imitation of someone else! It needs your truth. Our country is rich with culture, humour and beauty. Those stories deserve investment, global audiences and artists who are brave enough to tell them. I believe the future of Namibia will be written not only by politicians and economists, but by its creatives. We are shaping the soul of this nation.”
