British singer/songwriter RAYE has always had a unique play on music. From hits such as “Escapism.” and catchy mantras like “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”, RAYE has had her own unique take on music recently as she has risen to a higher pedestal in the public eye. After the success of “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”, RAYE followed up the song and many other singles with her sophomore album, “THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.” This record showcases RAYE’s songwriting capabilities that are similar to the abilities of Taylor Swift, as well as production and musical qualities that compete with that of Ariana Grande’s work. In its entirety, this album is a statement of power, femininity, recovery, sadness and obviously, hope. With songs that blend multiple genres such as jazz, orchestral, pop and R&B, and stylistic choices that add a theatrical and grand drop of life to the music, this album is a collection of innovation and inspiration in music. RAYE has really brought something special to this record.
The album, running one hour and 13 minutes in length, covers various different genres of music as well as emotions that RAYE has experienced. “THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.” opens with the theatrical and cinematic “Intro: Girl Under The Grey Cloud.” RAYE, in a fully cinematic style, opens the album by immediately introducing the setting of this story we delve into. She narrates the opening of her album while a beautiful orchestra accompanies her. As a result of this being the opening track, we are set up for an album that is nothing short of a grand story. The whole album feels as though you’re watching a movie.
Powerful ballads have lots of presence on this album. One notable emotional ballad includes the second track on the record, “I Will Overcome.” Perfectly encapsulating the record’s thematic idea of hope, this song both melodically and lyrically builds a strong foundation for the rest of the album. In the chorus, RAYE sings a powerful line that holds the song’s message together. She sings, “This is a song to remind me, since I needed one, I will overcome.” With her powerful lyrics, RAYE reaffirms throughout the song that even though times might get tough, there is possibility to rise above it. Additionally, the musicality and melody of this song perfectly emphasize the song’s message.
The song’s sound uniquely varies as it progresses. In the beginning, a pop sound takes presence as she sings in a rich voice narrating the story of her emotional downfall. This pop sound helps spotlight RAYE’s lyricism since the lyrics flow more delicately, underscored by a moving piano line. The sound builds as it reaches the penultimate moment of the song: the chorus. When the song reaches the chorus, RAYE opts for an orchestral sound to highlight the depth and complexity of emotion she’s experiencing. The powerful strings paired with RAYE’s commanding voice bring out the message rising above the things in life trying to bring you down.
Contrasting the pop and orchestral sounds heard in “I Will Overcome.”, a song that appears later on the album plays around with jazz. “I Hate The Way I Look Today.”, despite its sad message about disliking the way you look, has a jazz melody that makes the song sound bouncy and fun. I believe that the contrast between the happy jazz and sad lyrics being paired together help the song’s message seem sort of sarcastic. The upbeat jazz is irresistible and infectious, almost distracting the listener from the sad lyrics RAYE’s singing about. This emphasizes how even though you might be unhappy in your appearance, most people aren’t paying attention to the small flaws that seem big to you. This clever use of contrasting the emotional weight of the lyrics and the mood of the music is one of many intentional and intelligent choices that RAYE makes on this album.
However, there are some songs that pale in comparison to more dominant tracks on the album. One example includes the song “Life Boat.” This song, though a powerful mantra about never giving up, isn’t as intricate and unique as many other tracks on the album. Though many could see this song as a breath of fresh air from the more involved songs, I find the song to fall a little flat in terms of what RAYE’s capable of creating. Regardless, the song still plays an important role in the general theme of the album.
All of the tracks on this record have individuality and unique features yet all tie back to the central theme of hope. RAYE’s ability to capture so many different emotions through such unique sounding music is unlike any other prominent musical artist in today’s society. To me, one song on this album takes the crown as a pure token of RAYE’s creative legacy.
“The WhatsApp Shakespeare.” blends pop, soul and orchestral music all into one song. Another aspect that makes this such a key song in showcasing RAYE’s abilities is the way she synthesizes the idea of modern day communication with olden day romance. Showcasing her theatrical storytelling abilities, RAYE delivers lines that easily stand out as innovative and capturing. At the beginning of the song, RAYE sings, “And, and a devil did send him, heart of blue, black venom. My mother knew when she met him, wolf in sheep’s clothes, oh, but in this case, denim.” The song’s message of the complexities of dating in modern society are conveyed throughout the song’s lyrics as well. “Yeah, yeah, sounds very dramatic, don’t it? A modern-day tragedy I call it,” is a line that emphasizes this idea.
Another feature of this song that makes it so unique is the music. The song is mainly driven by a fast-paced, theatrical and rich pop/percussive sound. This fast paced pop sound propels RAYE’s voice, emulating the flow of a Shakespearean poem and perfectly capturing the song’s message of complicated love. To me, the elements of pop that make up this song strike resemblance to Ariana Grande’s “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored.” This song is truly a pop anthem that many modern-day music lovers could easily get sucked into. Additionally, RAYE’s production on this song is creative as well. Leaning into the title of the song, there are multiple moments where RAYE uses a text notification chime to accompany the pop sound that drives the song. This creative use of sound is a brilliant way to spice up the sound of the music. RAYE’s ability to keep the listener on their toes is something that carries from song to song across the record. With a few exceptions, most of the music never drags and it’s never boring. RAYE constantly adds variety into her songs to intrigue her audience.
RAYE’s talent doesn’t stop with infectious pop, however. “The WhatsApp Shakespeare.” has an entire mood shift nearing the end of the song. Breaking apart from the pop sound that propelled the song at the beginning, RAYE puts on her theatrical hat and begins to narrate more of her tragic modern-day dating story. The music shifts too, suddenly turning into a present and full orchestral sound, exactly like what you’d hear in a jazzy and cinematic performance. RAYE’s ability to seamlessly merge multiple genres together into one song is a testament to her raw talent.
“THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.” is a powerful album that showcases the pure talent of British singer and songwriter RAYE. The success of this album is conveyed through RAYE’s innovative melodies, powerful vocals, intelligent production, impactful lyrics and picturesque storytelling. RAYE brings a lot to the table with this album, and each song is a testimony to her ability to craft a cohesive record. Every song has its ability to draw in a different audience while still working with all the other tracks to convey the album’s main thematic message of hope. This project stands as a true work of art and reflection of RAYE’s talent, bringing innovation and creativity to the music industry.
