It’s been 5 years since we met up with the R&B singer RAYE for a chat and she modelled for the cover of our 20th issue. The then 19-year-old from London had caught our eye with her features on the phenomenal singles Jonas Blues’ ‘By Your Side’ and Jax Jones’ ‘You Don’t know Me’ as well as her collaborations with Stormzy, Nas, and Charli XCX. She told us that her goal was to be number 1 in every single country and whilst she hasn’t quite managed that ambitious goal, yet she’s certainly skyrocketed since then.
She has now added some of the biggest stars to her list of collaborations such as Mabel, Zara Larsson, Sofia Carson, Tinashe, Madison Beer, Cheat Codes, Little Mix, David Guetta, Rita Ora, Ellie Goulding, David Guetta, and even Queen Bee herself.
At the end of last year, RAYE achieved her first number one single with ‘Escapism’ featuring American Rapper 070 Shake. The single topped the UK, Danish, and Irish charts and charted in the top ten in several other countries following its booming success on TikTok where a sped-up version of the track is still trending. Having sat on the charts for 17 weeks the UK can’t get enough of RAYE. It seems her dreams are coming true.
In February, the singer, whose birth name is Rachel Agatha Keen, released her much-anticipated debut studio album My 21st Century Blues. Along with ‘Escapism’ the album featured four other singles: ‘Hard Out Here’, ‘Black Mascara’, ‘The Thrill is Gone’, and ‘Ice Cream Man’. The album is RAYE’s first release as an independent artist having departed from her previous label Polydor Records in 2021. It was a hit with critics and the public alike receiving praise for its honest tackling of heavy subjects and debuted at number two on the UK album charts.
The sleazy teasy music video for ‘Escapism’ was released in November and now has over 48M views. In black lingerie, dripping with glitzy chains, and wearing long black chic gloves RAYE navigates heartbreak and anxiety numbing pain with unhealthy coping mechanisms in a distorted, red-lit club. It’s clear to see why the track has such a hold on the internet with RAYE’s straightforward honest attitude relatable to many girls who have turned partying to escape their problems instead of addressing them head on.
On the second single from the album ‘Black Mascara’ RAYE hauntingly sings about being betrayed by her lover repeatedly chanting “done to me” against an upbeat rhythmic club beat. In an interview with DIY, the singer revealed the deeper meaning behind the track was an incident where she was spiked: “The overall theme is being a woman in this world and taking a step back to process all of the shit that’s actually been done to me, things that I’ve had to hide behind the scenes. I wrote that song specifically about a time when I got my drink spiked by a man I really liked. I trusted him”.
‘Ice Cream Man’ is a heart-breaking track on which RAYE bravely sings about the sexual assault she faced from a record producer earlier in her career. Despite the dark subject matter, RAYE shines through on the track as a powerful force with her strong and clear voice telling her fans “I’m a very very brave strong woman/ And I’ll be damned if I let a man ruin/How I walk, how I talk, how I do it”. The self-directed video for the track, released on 1st March, features raw vulnerability from the singer as she openly cries in a bathroom. The end of the video encourages anyone that has had similar experiences to speak up with the message “this evil has more power over us in the dark than it does in the light”.
The tenth track on the album ‘Body Dysmorphia’ is another courageous song on which RAYE offers solace to those who have struggled with their body image. She opens up on the track in the verses voicing her perpetual anxiety over the aspects of her body she doesn’t like but the chorus offers a way forward. She sings “I don’t really like my body/ But knowing it’s my only body/I should prolly call somebody” therefore encouraging listeners who have a similar experience to talk to someone about it. She also implicitly encourages listeners to check up on their friends in the line “Matter fact, I’m glad you callеd me” suggesting that reaching out could help relieve someone struggling alone.
My 21st Century Blues is a fitting title for the album. RAYE uses her platform to explore issues that many modern women struggle through with grace such as sexual assault, body dysmorphia, addiction, heartbreak, and anxiety over the state of our country and climate change, often juxtaposing her heavy lyrics with pounding beats. It’s an important record: a move forward towards pop albums that combine sonically pleasing tunes with lyrics that enlighten the world about some of the things that plague the minds of Gen Z. On the outro to the album RAYE personally thanks all her listeners as well as telling us she waited seven years for this moment – it’s a touching and triumphant for the artist.
RAYE is touring currently her My 21st Century Blues Tour which started in Amsterdam in February playing across the US and will be heading back to Europe in November. Festival goers will be delighted to see that she is featured on a hefty amount of line-ups this year including Glastonbury, Mad Cool fest, Parklife, Longitude, Indiepence Arts & Music Festival, Jugend fest, Findings, Lowlands, Connect, Sundown, and Superbloom.
Words by Molly Sutherland
Header Image by Sebastian Kampfhammer
