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My 21st Century Blues

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My 21st Century Blues
A woman standing on a pile of musical instruments painted white on a white background. The singer's name and album title are located at the top center.
Studio album by
Raye
Released3 February 2023 (2023-02-03)
Genre
Length46:48
LabelHuman Re Sources
Producer
Raye chronology
Euphoric Sad Songs
(2020) 		My 21st Century Blues
(2023) 		My 21st Century Symphony (Live at the Royal Albert Hall)
(2023)
Singles from My 21st Century Blues
  1. "Hard Out Here"
    Released: 30 June 2022
  2. "Black Mascara"
    Released: 24 August 2022
  3. "Escapism" / "The Thrill Is Gone"
    Released: 12 October 2022
  4. "Ice Cream Man"
    Released: 2 February 2023[1]
  5. "Flip a Switch"
    Released: 7 April 2023
  6. "Worth It"
    Released: 10 November 2023[2]
  7. "Oscar Winning Tears"
    Released: 8 November 2024[3]

My 21st Century Blues is the debut studio album by the British singer-songwriter Raye, released independently by Human Re Sources on 3 February 2023.[4][5] The album is Raye's first project following her departure from Polydor Records in 2021. Largely co-written and produced by herself, she worked with several collaborators including Mike Sabath, BloodPop, Punctual, and Di Genius. The album features guest appearances from 070 Shake and Mahalia. My 21st Century Blues received acclaim from critics, with some publications including Variety naming it as one of the best albums of 2023.[6] Lyrically, it explores themes including Raye's struggles with drug addictions, body dysmorphia, and sexual assault.

Spawned by the release of several singles "Escapism" (featuring 070 Shake), topped the charts in Ireland, Denmark, and the United Kingdom, and entered the top ten in over 20 other countries. It won "Best Social Trended Song" at the Global Awards, "Best Contemporary Song" at the Ivor Novello Awards, and was nominated for "Best Independent Track" and "Best Independent Video" at the AIM Independent Music Awards. It also received a nomination for "Best British Pop Single" at the Popjustice £20 Music Award Show. A fifth single titled "Ice Cream Man", peaked at number 69 on the UK Singles Chart, while the sixth single "Flip a Switch" featuring Coi Leray reached number 35.

The album debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and reached the national rankings of 15 other territories, including top 20 positions in Ireland, Norway, Scotland, and Switzerland. It was nominated for Best Independent Album at the AIM Independent Music Awards and was shortlisted for Album of the Year at the 2023 Mercury Prize.[7] In 2024, it won British Album of the Year at the Brit Awards.[8]

Background

[edit]

The British singer-songwriter Raye, born Rachel Keen, demonstrated an interest for music since a young age, entering the BRIT School at 10.[9][10] She focused on writing music after school with assistance from teachers.[9] In 2014, at age 16, Raye self-released the EP Welcome to the Winter on SoundCloud.[11] She signed to the record label Polydor Records in the same year after she was recommended by the singer Olly Alexander,[11] and had an R&B album already written and ready to be released.[12] She subsequently started working on her music,[9] and co-wrote songs for several artists, including Beyoncé and Charli XCX.[13] Raye spawned two top 20 singles in the United Kingdom,[11] and the platinum-certified collaborations "You Don't Know Me" (2016), "Secrets" (2020), and "Bed" (2021).[12]

According to Raye, Polydor pressured her to release "chart-friendly dance tracks" that she did not like.[9] Releasing music of several genres,[14] she struggled with her own identity, saying that she "didn't know who [she] was" musically, later believing that it was not consistent.[15] Raye released various projects, including an extended play (EP) titled Euphoric Sad Songs (2020).[16] In June 2021, the singer was informed that she could not release a debut album with Polydor if her single "Call on Me" (2021) underperformed on record charts.[12] She later expressed her frustration through tweets and received support from fellow musicians, before parting ways with the label and becoming an independent artist.[9][15] In 2022, she signed with the distribution company Human Re Sources,[17] and began to own her master recordings.[9]

Writing and recording

[edit]
Raye (pictured) wrote all the lyrics on My 21st Century Blues.

After her departure from Polydor, Raye began focusing on My 21st Century Blues,[12] and co-wrote the song "Hard Out Here".[13] The idea for the album began with its title, as she decided to "tell [her] blues", and felt revelant being "honest about those things [she] kept in the darkness for so many years".[9] Most of the music she wrote for the album was negatively received by representatives from other labels, and Raye had no "choice but to go independent".[18] Some songs present on the final track listing—including "Oscar Winning Tears", "Worth It", and "Ice Cream Man"—were written several years before the release of My 21st Century Blues, while being included as they "fit the theme" of the album.[18][14] She wrote these songs between the ages 18 and 20.[19] Raye stated that the album is her "little mosaic of stories [she] collected".[18] It was recorded at several places, including Valentine Recording Studio in Los Angeles ("The Thrill is Gone"),[20] and at a residential studio in Utah ("Escapism"). The first beat for the latter was created by her collaborator Mike Sabath; Raye thought that it fit the theme of the song and decided to call the American rapper 070 Shake to collaborate on the track.[12]

Raye co-produced eight songs on My 21st Century Blues, predominantly with Sabath. The producers Punctual, Di Genius, BloodPop, Luca Buccellati, and Pete Miller also received credits.[21][22] Its lyrics were in charge of Raye along with various collaborators: Justin Tranter, Akil King, Jenna Felsenthal, Eyelar Mirzazadeh, and the featured artists 070 Shake and Mahalia.[21] While recording the album, Raye listened to artists that influenced her early work, including Nina Simone, Etta James, and B. B. King. She was also inspired by a poster of Simone with the quote, "An artist's duty is to reflect the times."[20] With My 21st Century Blues, Raye said that she tried not to focus on commercial success,[12] and felt liberated after working on it, which was a "medicine" to her.[15] About the stylization idea, the songs have a full stop on the titles "because they do feel like complete stories" to Raye.[19] She also expressed her desire for listeners to listen to the album in order.[14]

Composition

[edit]

Overview

[edit]

Inspired by 1970s music,[15] My 21st Century Blues predominantly mixes house music, pop, blues, and dancehall.[23] The album contains influences from several other genres, including R&B, doo-wop,[10] jazz, soul,[24] hip-hop,[25] and electro.[26] It includes a darker production in comparison to Raye's previous releases.[16] According to Tomás Mier of Rolling Stone, Raye's vocals contain elements of those from Amy Winehouse.[14] They were also inspired by jazz, which is Raye's most consumed genre.[20] Lyrically, My 21st Century Blues explores several themes, including disordered eating, addictions, heartbreak,[9] discrimination, and self-image.[25] Raye wanted to be "explicit and evocative"; she said that the album's essence is "speaking candidly".[15] She was inspired by the lyricism of the albums Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 (2000) and The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003).[11]

Songs

[edit]

The album is made by 15 tracks.[27] It starts with a spoken introduction[28] presenting Raye to a jazz club.[29] The jazz-influenced song "Oscar Winning Tears" contains lyrics about "leaving an emotionally abusive and manipulative man".[28] On the R&B and dark pop track "Hard Out Here",[26][18] Raye confronts patriarchy in music industry and "white men CEOs"[28][11] while singing, "This LP's full of the shit I'm gonna say to you".[18] It interpolates the 1991 song "Give It Away" by the band Red Hot Chili Peppers.[30] On the fourth track, "Black Mascara", Raye sings about being spiked by a close person.[18] It is a dance[31] and electronic song[30] with a club beat[18] and synthesizers.[23] Its refrain goes from "What you done to me?" to "You're done to me".[30] The lyrics of "Escapism" detail a night out after the end of a relationship, where she decides to turn to drugs.[18] The trip hop beat of "Escapism"[32] is made by synthesizers, sirens, and strings.[9] According to Pitchfork's Aimee Cliff, it recalls the R&B style from Raye's early EPs.[31] On the "bluesy" track "Mary Jane",[23] Raye opens about her drug addictions, mentioning marijuana and codeine.[24] Musically, it is stripped-back and contains slow motioned drums and guitar riffs.[16][24] Over blues guitars and funk shuffles,[32] "The Thrill Is Gone"'s lyrical content describes an abusive relationship,[23] where the singer also shares the end of the love she had for another person.[28] Dork's Abigail Firth and NME's Hannah Mylrea said that it is reminiscent to the early work of Winehouse.[18][16] The album centerpiece, "Ice Cream Man", is a sentimental ballad where Raye exposes repeated situations of sexual assault she had experienced since the age of 7.[18][23][24] She then details a situation when a producer took advantage of her in a studio session.[12] It was directed to her abusers, with the purpose for them to not "lay hands on a woman like that ever again in [their] life".[18]

The second half of My 21st Century Blues is more pop-focused.[23] Raye explores R&B on the ninth song, "Flip a Switch",[18] which has a dancehall rhythm with guitar and electronics.[23] It also contains elements of Afrobeats.[32] She named "Body Dysmorphia" the most revealing song from the album;[9] she reveals her struggles with disordered eating and her insecurities with her own image.[14][11] Raye also criticizes how the society pressures women to look "skinny with an hourglass figure".[24] Over a trip-hop beat, she sings: "I'm so hungry I can't sleep / But I know if I eat / Then I'll be in the bathroom on my knees".[9] Inspired by the broadcaster David Attenborough,[28] the lyrical content of "Environmental Anxiety" focuses on climate change, political issues,[14] and the overuse of social media.[11] Raye mentions the status of the then-Prime Minister of the UK Boris Johnson.[28] The "semi-rapped"[31] "Five Star Hotels" featuring Mahalia is an R&B track that features soothing guitars and a trap beat.[27] The funk-inspired song "Worth It" compared by Mylrea to the works of the American musical superduo Silk Sonic.[16] It is a romantic song, on which she sings: "You could be, be my glass of wine / In the sunset, help me exhale all the excess".[27] The soul[25] ballad "Buss it Down" contains a gospel choir.[23] Crystal Bell from Paper described it as "a joyful celebration of womanhood and sexuality",[11] while JT Early of Beats Per Minute said that it sees Raye "partying it up and loving herself".[27] A spoken outro titled "Fin" closes My 21st Century Blues where the singer proclaims, "I've waited seven years for this moment".[25]

Release and promotion

[edit]

In September 2022, Raye went on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge to perform "Black Mascara" and a cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill".[33] On 13 October 2022, Raye announced the project on her social media along with the release of the songs "Escapism" and "The Thrill Is Gone". Following the dual release, Raye performed both songs on Later... with Jools Holland.[34] Raye later performed "The Thrill Is Gone" on The Graham Norton Show.[35]

Singles

[edit]

On 30 June 2022, Raye released the lead single "Hard Out Here", which was her first independent release following her separation from Polydor Records.[36][37] The second single, "Black Mascara", was released on 24 August 2022 after previously being teased at the end of the "Hard Out Here" music video, two days before originally scheduled.[38] A dual single release, "Escapism", and "The Thrill Is Gone" was released on 12 October 2022.[39] "Escapism" would later chart at number 1 in the UK Singles Chart. On 2 February 2023, a day before the album's release, the fifth single, "Ice Cream Man", premiered on BBC Radio 1 as Radio 1's Hottest Record. The seventh single, Worth It gained popularity after it was selected to be used for the soundtrack to Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken.

On 11 October 2024, Raye announced that “Oscar Winning Tears” would serve as the album’s seventh single on The Kelly Clarkson show. It was released as a single on 8 November 2024.

Tours

[edit]

In support of the album, Raye embarked on a mini tour in October and November 2022 entitled The Story So Far, which marked her first headlining shows in Europe and North America. The tour consisted of an acoustic, intimate setting with a seated audience, and Raye discussed her career in chronological order between performances of her discography.[citation needed] This was followed by the My 21st Century Blues Tour, which commenced in February 2023.[40] A second European leg was announced in January and commenced in November 2023.[41]

Live album and concert film

[edit]

On 16 October 2023, Raye released the live album My 21st Century Symphony (Live at the Royal Albert Hall), recorded at her concert there on 26 September 2023. The album is a collaboration with The Heritage Orchestra who accompanied Raye in her performance alongside the Flames Collective as a gospel choir. The tracklist includes every song from My 21st Century Blues alongside several orchestral interludes.[42] A film of the concert, directed by Paul Dugdale and entitled Raye at the Royal Albert Hall, aired on BBC One on 3 January 2024.[43]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Upon its release, My 21st Century Blues appeared on the main national charts of 16 territories. In the United Kingdom, it debuted and peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart with 15,516 units sold.[44] In 2024, following Raye's appearance at the Brit Awards 2024, My 21st Century Blues re-entered the chart at number five,[45] and received a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[46] It was one of the best selling albums of that year in the country.[47] Internationally, the album reached the top 20 on the Scottish Albums Chart at number 4,[48] in Ireland at 13,[49] Norway at 16,[50] and Switzerland at 17.[51] It peaked at number 25 in Canada,[52] and was later certified gold by Music Canada.[53] My 21st Century Blues also peaked within the top 40 in the Netherlands (30),[54] Germany, New Zealand (both 34),[55][56] and the Flanders region of Belgium (38).[57] It reached middle-low positions on the US Billboard 200 (58),[58] in Lithuania (80),[59] Spain (95),[60] Australia, France (both 97),[61][62] and Belgium's Wallonia (139).[63] Additionally, IFPI Danmark and Recorded Music NZ gave the album gold certifications.[64][65]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.6/10[66]
Metacritic82/100[67]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[68]
Clash6/10[32]
DIY[25]
Dork[69]
The Guardian[23]
The Independent[24]
The Line of Best Fit7/10[29]
NME[16]
Pitchfork6.6/10[31]
The Telegraph[26]

Upon its release, My 21st Century Blues was met with acclaim from music critics.[19][70] On the review agreggator Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to ratings from publications, the album received a weighted mean score of 82 based on 12 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[67] The site AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.6 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[66]

Writing for Clash, Alex Rigotti felt that "In her haste to tell her story, "My 21st Century Blues" suffers from a frenzied second half that cushions the gut-punch it could have been".[32] Hayley Milross of The Line of Best Fit writes that "My 21st Century Blues will be labelled as an iconic debut" and that "the album has excellent high points [which are] tracks that showcase what brought Raye to the forefront in the first place."[29] Ben Tipple from DIY states that the record "[are] mirroring Raye's desire to explore all facets of herself, and it is autobiographical to its core, whether touching on heartbreak, discrimination, or distorted self-image."[25] Neive McCarthy of Dork called Raye "unstoppable on her latest offering" and added that she's "tackling every hardship that has befallen her of late and doing so with smooth, jazz-leaning vocals and slick beats."[69]

In a positive review for The Guardian, Alexis Petridis writes that "Whatever its failings, though, there's enough in the way of potential hit singles – moreover, potential hit singles with attitude and character to spare – on Raye's debut to ensure that her current success amounts to more than a sympathy vote or a flash in the pan."[23]

Year-end lists

[edit]
My 21st Century Blues on year-end lists
Critic/Publication List Rank Ref.
Consequence The 50 Best Albums of 2023 22 [71]
Esquire The Best Albums of 2023 6 [72]
Variety The Best Albums of 2023 8 [73]

Track listing

[edit]
My 21st Century Blues track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Introduction"Rachel Keen
  • Austin Lichtenstein
  • Pete Miller
Mike Sabath0:57
2."Oscar Winning Tears"Keen
  • Keen
  • Sabath
Sabath3:03
3."Hard Out Here"
  • Brandon Colbein
  • Sabath
Sabath3:11
4."Black Mascara"Keen
  • Keen
  • William Lansley
  • John Morgan
Punctual3:59
5."Escapism" (featuring 070 Shake)
  • Keen
  • Sabath
Sabath4:32
6."Mary Jane"Keen
  • Keen
  • Sabath
3:52
7."The Thrill Is Gone"
  • Keen
  • Isabella Sjostrand
  • Keen
  • Anton Goransson
  • Sabath
  • Raye
  • Sabath
3:19
8."Ice Cream Man"Keen
4:08
9."Flip a Switch"Keen
3:21
10."Body Dysmorphia"Keen
  • Keen
  • Sabath
Sabath2:33
11."Environmental Anxiety"
  • Keen
  • Jenna Felsenthal
  • Keen
  • Sabath
  • Raye
  • Sabath
3:14
12."Five Star Hotels" (featuring Mahalia)
  • Sabath
  • Luca Buccellati
  • Miller
3:24
13."Worth It"
  • Raye
  • Sabath
4:06
14."Buss It Down"
  • Keen
  • Eyelar Mirzazadeh
  • Keen
  • Antionette Smith
  • Sabath
  • Raye
  • Sabath
  • Miller
2:36
15."Fin"KeenKeen
  • Raye
  • Sabath
  • Miller
0:33

Notes

  • All tracks are stylized with a full stop at the end

Personnel

[edit]

Adapted from album liner notes.[21]

  • Raye – vocals, songwriting (1–15); production (6–9, 11, 13–15); background vocals (7, 12–14); string and horn arranging (13)
  • Mike Sabath – production (1–3, 5–15); songwriting (2, 3, 5–8, 10–14); engineering (5, 6, 8–11, 14, 15); piano (2, 6, 8); bass (2, 6, 8, 11, 12, 14); drums (2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12); synthesizer (2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 11); string arranging (2, 3, 5–7, 13); Mellotron (5, 9); guitar (6–12); background vocals (7, 13, 14); horn arranging (7, 13); strings (12)
  • Jenna Felsenthal – vocal engineering (2–15); songwriting (11)
  • Pete Miller – songwriting, piano (1); production (12, 14, 15); piano, B3 (14, 15)
  • Adam Krevlin – string engineer (2, 5–7, 13)
  • The MoonGirls – drums, bass, Wurlitzer electronic piano, (7, 13); B3 (7); guitar (13)
  • 070 Shake – vocals, songwriting (5)
  • Mahalia – vocals, songwriting (12)
  • Franky Fox – engineering (1, 13)
  • Jacob Braun – cello (2, 3, 5–7)
  • Paul Cartwright – violin (2, 5–7)
  • Austin Lichtenstein – songwriting, voice (1)
  • Tia Ferguson – background vocals (1, 7)
  • Justin Tranter – songwriting (3)
  • Brandon Colbein – songwriting (3)
  • Charlie Bisharat – strings (3)
  • Chad Gordon - engineering (3, 5)
  • Punctual – songwriting, production (4)
  • Anton Göransson – songwriting (7)
  • Isabella Sjostrand – songwriting (7)
  • Michael Harris – engineering (7, 13)
  • Tristan Hurd – trumpet (7, 13)
  • Alex Young – tenor saxophone (7, 13)
  • Alex Csillag – trombone (7)
  • Tim Mckay – baritone sax (7)
  • BloodPop – songwriting (8)
  • Di Genius – songwriting, production (9)
  • Eddie Benjamin – songwriting, guitar, bass (12)
  • Kennedi Lykken – songwriting (12)
  • Alex Robinson – vocal engineering (12)
  • Luca Buccellati – production, drums (12)
  • John Hill – songwriting, synthesizer (13)
  • Akil “Fresh” King – songwriting (13)
  • Sean Deschamps – cello (13)
  • DSharp – violin (13)
  • Eyelar Mirazazadek – songwriting (14)
  • Antoinette Smith – songwriting (14)
  • Jon Castelli – mixing (all tracks)
  • Dale Becker – mastering (all tracks)

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for My 21st Century Blues
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[53] Gold 40,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[64] Gold 10,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[65] Gold 7,500‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] Gold 100,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Release history and formats for My 21st Century Blues
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various 3 February 2023
Human Re Sources [77][78]

References

[edit]
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