Attention to Artists: A ‘RAYE’ of light in the music industry
As much as I love the pulsing beats of modern-day pop, the clever lyrics of R&B and rap and the invigorating, electric feeling of EDM when I’m on a dancefloor, it can get a little … repetitive. I didn’t know my ears were craving a taste of something new until I was driving around town with my friend and a song called “Escapism.” came on.
Enter my obsession with RAYE. Born Rachel Keen, she’s no stranger to the music industry, having written for major artists including David Guetta, Rihanna and Beyonce. Her feature on the 2016 Jax Jones hit, “You Don’t Know Me,” snowballed on social media platforms.
She gained more media attention when her record label, Polydor Records, allegedly refused to release her first album, despite several successful collaborations and a handful of EPs Keen had released. In 2022, she shot to stardom when her song “Escapism.” featuring 070 Shake went viral on Tiktok before releasing her first independent album “My 21st Century Blues” in February 2023.
When “Escapism.” came on the radio, I sat silently, soaking up this unique, refreshing sound. The graphic, raw lyrics coupled with a snappy beat transitioned into a spoken monologue with high-pitched strings. I couldn’t remember the last time I heard a song sounding so different from the “copy-and-paste” songs I’d grown accustomed to.
It didn’t take me long to dive into her discography. Her successful 2020 EP, “Euphoric Sad Songs,” is a sharp contrast from the songs she’s now releasing. Lyrics of love, lust and loss are hidden underneath pop tracks, making listeners forget their troubles. Songs like “Regardless” and “Love of Your Life” are dance songs with addictive choruses while others like “Change Your Mind” and “All Dressed Up” are slightly more somber, yet addictive.
RAYE’s album “My 21st Century Blues” brings back a sense of music time seemed to have left in the 20th century, one that shouldn’t have been left behind in the first place. Her introductory monologue transports listeners back to the jazz clubs of the mid-20th century before transitioning into “Oscar Winning Tears.,” a piano ballad of an ex begging to get back with her and pulling out all the stops. Modern pop and trap are intertwined throughout the songs “Hard Out Here,” and “Black Mascara.” R&B is at its finest with her sultry songs “Flip A Switch” and “Five Star Hotels. featuring Mahalia.”
She isn’t afraid to talk about controversial topics, but she does so in eloquently crafted lyrics. “Ice Cream Man.” is about the aftermath of several sexual assaults RAYE has faced in her life. “Environmental Anxiety.” highlights humankind’s faults in a breathless pace, sirens screeching in the background. “Body Dysmorphia” has a simple beat complimenting the complex thoughts around eating disorders. “Mary Jane.” has a twangy bass line as RAYE sings about her love-hate relationships with her drug and alcohol addictions.
What sets RAYE apart from other artists is how no two songs of hers sound alike. She’s not afraid to experiment with her music, pushing boundaries of what modern music sounds like. Her most recent song, “Genesis” might be one of her best creations, a “Bohemian Rhapsody” reminiscent song consisting of seven minutes broken into three parts. A spoken monologue with angelic backing vocals pivots 180 to two verses of rap before the final third of the song is performed like the big-jazz bands of the ’40s and ’50s. During the song, RAYE highlights 21st-century problems including social media, mental health and toxic relationships while trying to find the hope of it all through the verse “Let there be light.”
RAYE has the freshest perspective brought to the music industry in the longest time. Amidst artists who stick to their tried-and-true methods, she’s taking risks and speaking about issues applicable to everyone through catchy tunes. The “RAYE” of light we’ve all been looking for, but didn’t know we needed.
Photo Caption: RAYE attends the Kering Foundation’s Caring for Women dinner on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 at The Pool, in New York. (Courtesy of the Associated Press)
Write to Emma Johnson at emma.johnson.5@mnsu.edu