Ray Blk burst onto the music scene with her track called ‘Talk To Me’ last year, and very quickly gathered an electrifying buzz around her. Although Talk To Me was the breakthrough track for Ray, she had previously released a free mixtape called ‘Havisham’ earlier that year.
The mixtape was named after the character Miss Havisham in the Charles Dickens’ popular novel ‘Great Expectations’. In short, Miss Havisham was left at the alter and vowed to never fall in love again, but then raises her adopted daughter to do the same thing. This a clear metaphor the meaning behind Ray’s music, not just on that mixtape but her later releases too. You can listen to and download the mixtape in full form Bandcamp here.
Ray crafted her beautifully mature and blissfully alluring voice over years of church and school choirs in her home of Catford, London, and is a clear result of years of hard graft and passion. ‘Talk To Me’ really was a full throttle R&B banger, but rather than heartbreak story behind Havisham, the kick-backed single is inspired by one of Ray Blk’s big musical influences Alicia Keys and in particular her record, ‘You Don’t Know My Name’, as she sings about her crush on a guy that has no idea who she is. Check it out below…
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The follow up single at the end of last year, was an equally addictive track called ‘5050’, produced by Aston Rudi the track has a laid back simple beat accompanied by deep growling 808 bass notes, and simple playful melodic synth lines, leaving plenty of room for Ray Blk’s vocals and to soar above in her typical passionate and heartfelt fashion.
The track also had a brilliantly cool video to go with it, complete with scenes of seemingly unimpressed mates of Ray stood behind her as she sings for a guys much wanted time and affection. Check it out in full below…
Just last week Ray Blk released her latest track called ‘My Hood’ featuring nearby neighbouring south London rapper Stormzy. The track tells a strikingly different story to Ray’s previously man-themed tracks. Instead the song is a nostalgic look at her home of South London reminiscing on the quaint details of childhood and environment, and is further complimented by a equally soft verse from Stormzy. The track if from the forthcoming self-released project ‘Everybody Loves Ray’, watch this space for news on its release. Meanwhile, check out ‘My Hood’ in full below…
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