“After years and fears and smiling through my tears, all I ask of you is open your ears,”
Raye croons at the best of “Hard Out Here,” the initial single off her upcoming debut album. Her first release since becoming independent, Raye uses this possibility as a declaration of business, a way to reclaim control over her own narrative, both sonically and lyrically. Deviating away from the hyperpop and EDM melodies with which she’s most often associated, Raye goes for an edgier R&B sound, giving herself enough space to tell her story. Accompanied by an art house-esque visual displaying a strong and powerful Raye in full form, “Hard Out Here” marks the begin of a renaissance, an exhilarating and liberating new chapter for the artist right now in control. —
Sarina Bhutani