Seriously, Ravyn Lenae's Been Great This Whole Time…
With the viral success of "Love Me Not", and the near-cult reverence of her 2024 sophomore album—the Chicago singer is finally earning her long-overdue moment in the mainstream spotlight. Here's our tribute to her enduring artistic brilliance.
Ravyn Lenae in 2024. Image property of Mia André.
Today's music industry is continually transitioning into a new era where the confines of genres are disappearing. Beyoncé's recent Album of the Year win for Cowboy Carter at the Grammys is a testament to this, as artists are being celebrated for free expression and rejecting the suffocating framework of how their art should sound.
While few artists are leading this shift, Ravyn Lenae stands out as one of the key voices pioneering musical landscape innovation. Please make no mistake, though: Lenae isn't a new artist. Her musical resume is already stacked.
Known for her ethereal falsetto, dreamy aesthetic and signature red hair, the Chicago-born songstress has developed a cult following in the alternative R&B space after nearly a decade years in the industry. Recently, she began to make waves in the mainstream with her indie-inspired, electric track, "Love Me Not", the lead single from her sophomore album, Bird's Eye. Its uptick in popularity came from a mashup on TikTok by NYC DJ Thatsode with Solange's fan-favourite Blood Orange-helmed cut, "Losing You".
The album was already doing well, garnering praise from publications like NME, Exclaim! and Pitchfork, along with solid streaming numbers. However, since the release of the mashup last October, it's accumulated six-figure engagement across social media.
With its rough, indie, band-like production, "Love Me Not" offers a relatable portrayal of a tumultuous relationship. Lenae can't help but be drawn to him despite her frustration with an inconsistent love interest. It's an honest and raw track that speaks to an experience many of us know all too well.
As an avid listener myself, I find this track to be the perfect cinematic trailer for Lenae as an artist. While it's great to see her gaining her moment in the spotlight, there's so much more beneath the surface that remains unexplored by new listeners. She's one of those rare artists who can construct entire worlds within her projects.
Her music has a unique, calming effect that provides escapism yet simultaneously feels grounded. We see (and hear) the world through her lens as she intricately explores themes of self-identity and romance through a genre-fluid approach rooted in neo-soul. This level of skill and tact doesn't happen overnight—it's a result of years spent skilfully mastering one's craft.
So, how did she get here?
At 17, Lenae burst onto the scene with her debut EP, Moon Shoes, in 2016. Through this profoundly experimental project, she began to play around with the elements that would eventually become foundational to her signature sound. Moon Shoes is an eclectic mix of bedroom pop and video game-esque production, with house influences as well as an overall mellowed-down tone.
Vocally, she takes a more restrained approach, merely scratching the surface of the distinct powerhouse vocals we know and love. This being her first project, it's clear that she was still finding her footing and discovering her sonic identity.
The standout track is the Appleby-assisted "Free Room", a bouncy, house-inspired tune that served as her breakout. It's easily the most playful and light-hearted track in her discography—and it couldn't be further away from her sound today. Sonically, this project perfectly embodied her youthful innocence and felt appropriate then. However, until her next project, Lenae began to develop her unique approach and carve her artistic lane within alternative R&B.
Lenae's 2018 EP Crush established her as a rising artist and one of the best new vocalists of our generation. Co-written and produced by Steve Lacy, this project allowed her to showcase her unique vocal range, characterised by a soft, whispery, and operatic quality. Crush felt both replayable and layered, anchored by Lenae's delicate yet powerful tone, which was lightly reminiscent of Minnie Riperton and Brandy while maintaining a distinctly personal sound.
Crush is home to one of Lenae's most popular tracks to date, "Sticky". With its hypnotic groove and gritty production, anchored by Lacy's deep, resounding bass, the track marks a pivotal moment in her artistry—where Lenae arguably found the distinctive voice and commanding tone that fans know and love today.
The track is impressive in terms of vocals and production and highlights her lyrical expertise. Her raw, honest, and emotive lyrics explore the highs and lows of infatuation, effectively capturing the intense thrill and confusion that come with such feelings.
Thematically, Crush was particularly interesting. While it still had a somewhat bedroom aesthetic similar to Moon Shoes, it felt like we were gradually inching out of those four walls and the solace they once provided. Through the surreal, hazy and weightless sound of this EP, it's almost as if we witnessed her stepping into her creative universe for the first time. With each track, she gradually pulled us into her soundscape, only alluding to the depth of her world-building abilities.
With 2022's Hypnos, Ravyn Lenae sharpened her vision, pushing her sound into uncharted, expansive territory—a fitting debut album that set the stage for her evolution. Hypnos was (and is) an exquisite fusion of futuristic electro-funk, neo-soul, and cosmic, psychedelic sounds, all while being some of her most emotive and heartfelt work.
Accompanied by fellow artists in the Black alternative sphere—like Fousheé, Smino and Kaytranada—each contributing uniquely to the project while seamlessly blending into the world that Lenae crafted. This long-player established her as a sonic alchemist and visionary, seamlessly blending diverse elements into a cohesive body of work. Lyrically, she explores her inner psyche and personal journey with vulnerability in romance and self-discovery, offering a sensual and atmospheric exploration of liberation and coming of age.
After such an expansive, otherworldly debut, just when listeners thought they had Lenae figured out, she took a completely unexpected turn with her second LP Bird's Eye. Arguably one of the best projects of 2024, this album sees Lenae embrace more traditionalist R&B elements.
She strips down her sound to something more rudimentary while masterfully incorporating aspects of indie, soft rock and pop. If Hypnos was a journey across the universe, Bird's Eye pulls us back to earth with its heartfelt lyricism, highlighting the realities of the human experience and all its imperfections.
Ravyn Lenae's latest record marks a sonic evolution that solidifies her position at the forefront of contemporary music. "One Wish", featuring Childish Gambino, offers an intimate glimpse into her healing journey with her estranged father, with the album as a whole spanning a broad range of sounds and emotions. "Candy", with its infectious Caribbean grooves, radiates playful confidence, whilst fan favourite "Genius" resonates with a poignant, neo-soul, rock-ish tone—encapsulating the confusion and frustration of a turbulent relationship.
Her artistry thrives on versatility, effortlessly shifting between genres while maintaining a deeply personal connection to each track. "Pilot", a sweet ballad that touches on the anxieties of mid-20s self-reflection, perfectly balances vulnerability with a hopeful sense of growth. Another standout might be "Bad Idea", where Ravyn flips the flirty 2005 R&B-rap jam "Like You" by Bow Wow and Ciara, reimagining it as a sleek, introspective R&B-leaner.
“Her magnetic star power, combined with her bold, unique approach to music and visuals, ensures that she’s not just a passing trend but an artist for the long haul.”
Ravyn Lenae's journey to this point has been one of continuous reinvention. With Bird's Eye, she firmly establishes herself as a visionary in the contemporary R&B landscape. Her influence is only beginning to be fully realised. Bird's Eye will likely be remembered as a defining moment in her already extraordinary career and 2020s R&B as a whole, like Full Moon to Brandy or Butterfly to Mariah Carey.
It's the kind of record you'd find in a cosy record store 20 years from now, priced high not due to scarcity but out of sheer demand. With each song, Lenae captures fleeting emotions and paints them with the clarity of an artist in full command of her craft.
Recently, Lenae has been hitting the road as the opening act for pop juggernaut Sabrina Carpenter on her Short n' Sweet Tour. This opportunity is expected to bring more attention to Lenae's music, allowing fans to experience Bird's Eye on a global stage.
This current Bird's Eye chapter of Lenae's career—the videos, performances, the album, and its wider acclaim—is a testament to her ongoing journey and years of graft. Ravyn Lenae's ability to blend genres, explore personal themes, and maintain an effortlessly captivating voice proves she's here to stay.
Stream Bird's Eye below: