RAYE has been a pretty on-the-radar R&B singer for the better part of a decade now, appearing on multiple platinum-selling singles, as well as writing singles for the likes of David Guetta, John Legend, and even Beyoncรจ. Despite being in the industry for a good amount of time, appearing on multiple successful singles, and writing for world-renown artists, RAYE was being shafted by Polydor Records - according to RAYE, her label had been withholding her debut for years, a statement that was met with support from many recording artists - she has been independent since, leaving the label in July of 2021. Here we are, one-and-a-half years later, and RAYE has dropped a bombshell with My 21st Century Blues. Not only is RAYE an excellent and versatile singer, but 21st Century Blues is a grand spectacle of a debut album down to the album's cover. From R&B, hip-hop, and house to soul, funk, and pure Motown, RAYE's debut jumps around many different styles, often with ease. Filled with themes of addiction, insecurity, body dysmorphia, and sexual assault, it's also a raw and powerful album at many points. With so many poignant and brilliant elements coming together as cleanly as they do, My 21st Century Blues may very well be one the most grand and bold artistic statements of the year.
My 21st Century Blues is more than just a contemporary R&B album, although there's plenty of great R&B songs at the surface such as the incredibly catchy "Oscar Winning Tears." that kicks off the powerful album. RAYE's sonic diversity is more than admirable, and frequently works to keep 21st Century Blues a fresh and diverse album, and she boldly takes on multiple genres with an old and new school flavor throughout. Songs like "The Thrill is Gone.", "Worth It.", and "Buss It Down." have heavy influence from soul, funk, and tinges of gospel and Motown throughout their lush production and instrumentation, all of which perfectly meld with RAYE's powerful singing voice. Sometimes, the genre switch-ups emphasize the mood of the song or the contents - the tinges of psychedelia only make sense for "Mary Jane.", a song entirely about drug abuse, or the energetic and frantic breakbeat of "Emotional Anxiety.". RAYE's creative use of genres and styles often emphasize the mood of the album, be it big and triumphant, sparse, or hopeful at the end. It all comes across as remarkably mature for a debut, which may not be surprising considering RAYE's prominence in the industry, but it still is highly impressive.
Not only is the album brilliantly varied and produced throughout, but many of the songs are emotionally impactful and powerful. The dark "Ice Cream Man." is prime example, covering RAYE's experience with sexual assault in what is easily the album's emotional climax. Other moments like "Mary Jane." or the aptly named "Body Dysmorphia." cover other themes of RAYE's struggles with drug addiction or body dysmorphia and showcase RAYE's strengths as a songwriter - I've seen some people say that these songs lack subtlety, and while that may be true, ultimately I don't think it's detrimental to the songs at hand. Moments like "Escapism." or "Hard Out Here." are emphatic of the album's themes, and both double as great hip hop tracks with healthy tinges of alternative R&B influences with their lush electronic instrumentation. "Emotional Anxiety.", while probably one of the weaker moments on the album, is one of the most poignant songs on the album, and is strangely anthemic of the world as of recent; its writing moments like this that, invariably, showcase the strongest skills of RAYE, as a good chunk of this album feels strangely profound with the modern world, and to capture that turmoil at points is easily the album's greatest accomplishment.
At the end of the album, RAYE comments that her debut album has been seven years in the making, and it certainly was worth the wait. While I think that there have been more exciting albums this year to my ears, My 21st Century Blues proves to be one of the most bold and brilliant artistic statements of the year yet. A creative and stylistically diverse album with rich and impactful themes, built off of RAYE's quality as a singer and songwriter throughout. It's hard to see My 21st Century Blues as anything less than an artistic accomplishment for its creator, and certainly one of the definitive statements to come out of the year. RAYE's final words on the album are that My 21st Century Blues is now ours forever - what are you waiting for?
RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯
Listen to My 21st Century Blues.
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