From Psalms to ‘African prayer warrior’ energy, Christian hope is evident throughout RAYE’s new album

I know it’s the British thing – and also the Christian thing – not to blow one’s own trumpet, but the word “may” in the title of RAYE’s new album, This Music May Contain Hope, is massively underselling it.

This music does contain hope: in ”good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over”, as it says in Luke 6:38. RAYE knows this too – which is why she closes the album by advising any listener who has failed to find any hope in it to go back to the start and “listen again”.

Running through the stories, vignettes and conversations, this is a sonic rollercoaster of a ride that throws big band jazz at you one minute and old noir film scores the next. Together, it is the story of a life renewed; picked up from rock bottom, restored and rejuvenated.

RAYE is only in her late 20s, but the award-winning singer-songwriter has already experienced more than some folks do in their whole lives - and not all of it has been good. She has been very open about past experiences of addiction and sexual abuse, and how her Christian upbringing and return to faith saw her through the toughest period of her life. This Music May Contain Hope is basically RAYE’s testimony, just not delivered in the way it would be in church on a Sunday morning.

Issues and insecurities

There’s a lot in this album that addresses the insecurities many of us deal with. Sometimes this is done humorously, such as on ‘I hate the way I feel today’, in which RAYE runs through all her insecurities and then says: “Oh, well, better get on with life regardless.” Trust God and keep your head up, if you will.

There might be days when you need help with this – and that’s where RAYE’s sheer determination kicks in. A determination that insists on being strong and of good courage, despite how discouraging your current circumstances may appear to be. That determination flows through ‘I will overcome’, on which she responds to critics who have accused her of copying Amy Winehouse (I’ve never understood why; she sounds nothing like Winehouse to my ears).

“Cover me with Your feathers, Father,” they sing together

RAYE also tackles relationship issues on the album. Several female Christian commentators have already offered their take on ‘Where is my husband?’, and while RAYE is still looking for love, she has set her standards and knows what she wants. It certainly isn’t another ‘South London lover boy’ like the one she fell for only to discover that she was “girlfriend number seven” in his collection. Nor is it the kind of man she describes as “insane” on ‘Skin and bones’ because “he thinks he can make love without having to love me.”

A family affair

In the meantime, while waiting for love, RAYE’s family are a massive support to the singer. Her grandfather Michael joins her on ‘Fields’, a heartfelt conversation between grandfather and granddaughter. Her sisters Amma and Absolutely (real name Abby-Lynn) join her for the album’s most worshipful moment: the euphoric ‘Joy’. “Cover me with Your feathers, Father,” they sing together, referencing Psalm 91. “Shelter me with Your wings. I may cry through the night…But my joy comes in the morning.”

Another heavenly moment occurs on ‘Goodbye Henry’ on which the legendary Reverend Al Green makes a guest appearance, singing: “Time will help the healing / And Christ’s just up above.”

Raye has been open about how her return to faith saw her through the toughest period of her life

And then there’s Grandma. Ever since she popped up on ‘Where is my husband?’ to reassure RAYE that “your husband is coming”, the whole world knows RAYE’s grandmother. But she actually shows up much earlier on the album: on a voicemail message right at the start, pleading with a distraught RAYE to “call me, please; we need to pray.”

On ‘Life boat’, Grandma leads the cast of thousands declaring: “I’m not giving up yet.” I totally love RAYE’s grandma – her compassion, kindness and “African prayer warrior aunty” energy.

The constant genre switches and ongoing internal monologue can make this album feel a little disjointed at times, but stick with it; This Music May Contain Hope will reward you for giving it your attention. I’m certainly glad I did.