Collection of singles by RAYE
There’s only one thing I’ve obsessed over this month: four songs by the UK artist Raye, singles from her upcoming debut album My 21st Century Blues. The story behind the artist is that she’d been signed under music label Polydor for seven years, but they refused to debut an album from her. She left the company in 2021 and, now independent, is releasing singles that display the full breadth of her talent. The sound and story is that of an artist fully establishing her range, confidence, and identity.
The rage and hurt from that control simmers underneath all of the singles–all four songs deal with a difficult relationship with men, whether that relationship is a business or romantic. At times she is explicitly critical and blunt: “All the white men CEOs, fuck your privilege / Get your pink chubby hands off my mouth, fuck you think this is?” she spits in “Hard Out Here.,” the single detailing this struggle outright. At other times, the antagonist is more ambiguous, like the unnamed “you” in “Black Mascara.”: she sings “You made your bed / lied your lies / And fucked my mind up” repeatedly, almost trance-like.
But I don’t want to recommend this solely for her rage–the real hook here is the depth of Raye’s musical ability. The songs show an array of skills, from her singing to her clever lyricism and wordplay to–most importantly–her storytelling. “A little context if you care to listen / I find myself in a shit position,” Raye implores in “Escapism,” a song following one night of debauchery in order to forget a bad break-up. The song switches between vulnerability and high energy as the night careens between depression and intoxication–all before the final switch up in the outro. “The Thrill is Gone” is the only song so far that infuses more classical jazz elements (and the only one without an accompanying music video). Its upbeat sound contrasts the failing relationship it depicts, creating a lament and encouragement to leave in equal measures. “Black Mascara” denounces a figure who has pained her over a vogue club beat, making its main refrain “What you’ve done to me / you’ve done to me / you’re done to me / you’re done to me” equally hypnotic and powerful. “Hard Out Here” is Raye at her most autobiographical and in the most control. She delivers her lines matter-of-factly, not asking questions but telling it straight, until the song swells with strength and retribution. It’s clear there’s hell to pay, and she’s coming for what’s due. “No weapon formed against me shall ever prosper,” she invokes of Isaiah 54, before delivering the chorus as a spoken sentence, half-fact, half-threat: “Baby, I bounce back.”
As a prequel to an album, Raye couldn’t have picked (and made) better songs to hype you up for the full release. These songs simmer, pulsate, and snap; I can hardly wait until next February for more.
–Peyton
Glass Onion (2022) written and directed by Rian Johnson
This month I saw Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion in theaters and it was a solid sequel to his first Benoit Blanc mystery, Knives Out. It has the hallmarks of what made me love the first movie: great humor, compelling cinematography, a satisfying mystery, and of course stupid rich people. While I will admit the mystery itself wasn’t as compelling to me as it was in the first movie, I do think there is still a lot to have fun with and enjoy in this movie.
I loved Janelle Monáe in this film. I want to keep spoilers to an absolute zero, but I wanted to highlight her performance. In the movie, she really does justice to her character’s heartbreak and fury over vicious betrayal. I also thoroughly enjoyed Edward Norton’s character, Miles Bron, as this kind of disgusting embodiment of the billionaire “genius” who everyone worships. It felt very timely and a little too relatable. All of the rich people in this film represented aspects of the underbelly of America: people who selfishly follow “the bag” and wrap their brains in twisted ways to justify their actions in pursuit of it. Like the first movie, Johnson’s characters represent both sides of the political spectrum, and exposes the unpleasant, deeply American, attributes in an extremely funny way. You can only cringe internally and laugh.
I definitely recommend this movie if you want to have a fun time playing “whodunit” and laughing at the absurdities of the 1%. I have some gripes with it that I would love to chat about, but it’s definitely entertaining and worth a viewing.
–Elise
End notes: Photo credit for Glass Onion poster
