After her troubles with her former record label due to creative differences, Raye is back with her first song as an independent artist, ‘Hard Out Here.’
The British singer had a very complicated relationship with Polydor Records. Last year, she revealed how despite having so much music to release multiple albums, the label would not allow her to do so. Instead, they would give her songs to some A-list artists. She had been on a four-album deal with them since 2014. They had not allowed her to release one.
But now, she is ready to take charge of her own career. ‘Hard Out Here’ is just the beginning.
“I wrote this song a week after I took to Twitter to protest my freedom,” she said. “I was angry, scared, and desperate and I set up a microphone in my living room barefaced and puffy eyed, just me and my dear engineer Felly sat there, silence speaking louder than words, I took a deep breath and I vented my sad little heart out.”
“This song marks the first step of my unapologetic truth and my desire to exist and speak fearlessly,” she continued. “I want to build a fan base who doesn’t care what genre I share with the world, but is just excited to hear my next story. I have been through a lot in the darkness. I am just so grateful for you all, this both a scary but insanely empowering time. For the first time I am in control entirely of my career and that alone has given me more life and purpose than I have ever felt before.”
Check out the song below.