There is no doubt that RAYE knows how to deliver a bop. From tracks such as ‘Decline’, ‘Cigarette’ and ‘The Line’, to the gargantuan Jax Jones collaboration ‘You Don’t Know Me’, she has been a staple part of our playlists over the past two years.
Now, RAYE is back with ‘Friends’, a fierce anthem which calls out girl hate, and stands out as one of her best singles to date. Produced by Mark Ralph, Kyle Shearer and Fred Gibson, ‘Friends’ is laced with an infectious energy and bundles of sass as RAYE discusses female rivalry. Not only is the track extremely relatable to any listener, but it also represents a trend which is sadly all too present in the music industry, with female artists continuously being pitted against each other.
“What’s up with all the ‘girl hate girl’ shit?” RAYE sings before questioning “Why is it if I’m not a boy I’m an enemy?”. With its breezy production, ‘Friends’ is the anthem we all need in our lives. Life is too short to be unnecessarily negative and the world would certainly be a much better place if we supported each other instead.
Speaking about the track, RAYE stated on Twitter: “As you grow older, the list of people you can trust becomes smaller and smaller. I’ve lost a lot of people from my circle, experiencing the nastiest side of girls and boys.”
“But I don’t care. I know real from fake and I am so blessed to have true friends behind me every step of the way. My friends are my sisters. My ride or dies, there for me through thick and thin. I’m so excited for everyone to hear this song.”
Listen to ‘Friends’ below.
‘Friends’ follows on from RAYE’s recently released EP Side Tape, which saw the talented songstress curate a strong collection of songs which featured collaborations with a number of her artist friends including Mabel, Stefflon Don, Maleek Berry, Kojo Funds and Steel Banglez.