After months of anticipation, RAYE has announced her second studio album. “This Music May Contain Hope” will be released on March 27th via Human Re Sources and will be a concept album of sorts. The vinyl edition will feature four distinct “seasons” on each side of the double LP, representing different emotions.
“I guess I’m in the process of making medicine for myself that I can share with the world,” she said. “I want us all to say to ourselves that it’s going to be all right, and I’m going to have faith in the seeds that I’ve planted beneath the snow. I wanted to create something that is a hug, bed or soft place for that person who needs it.”
The news comes four months after the release of the London-born singer-songwriter’s hit single “Where Is My Husband!,” which has topped the charts in the U.K and climbed all the way to 13 on the Billboard Global 200.
In a bold move, RAYE debuted the song by opening her Glastonbury Festival set with it. As one YouTube commenter wrote, “Opening your set with a new song is courageous, but wow she proved how outstanding she is.”
“Where Is My Husband!” is an anthem that sets itself apart from other songs on the charts by incorporating Motown influences and a full horn section. It was co-written by her longtime collaborator and producer Mike Sabath, who calls RAYE a “generational artist.” In an interview with Billboard, he explains that they were inspired by The Supremes, who scored hits like “Baby Love” and “Stop! In The Name of Love” in the ’60s.
“With the last album, it all came together through the live show, which expanded and unified the sonic realm by making it super orchestral and brassy. She brings that queen energy. It’s like Your Highness who wears no shoes,” he explained. “[With ‘Husband,’] we reverse-engineered it from her live show. It started with a drum roll and these brass hits, then I tapped a keyboard groove on the MIDI [controller].”
As the song title suggests, the lyrics are a witty commentary on the current dating scene, and wondering when a forever love will come to her. Her rapid-fire delivery over the dance-tempo beat brings an urgency to the matter.
RAYE also uses her voice to expand the track’s big sound. A self-described “maximalist” when it comes to production, she layered dense harmonies and panned them left and right to fill the sonic space. She also created her own pad by overdubbing multiple vocals to create a lush harmony part.
Get her perspective on the vocal production techniques in this video she titled “a little context if you care to listen.”
“Where is My Husband!” is the first – and so far only – single from “This Music May Contain Hope,” but it’s a clear indication that RAYE is a name we’ll be hearing for years to come.
Get the sheet music for “Where is My Husband!” and get your groove on:
