RAYE returns with a pulsating and emotional new single 'Black Mascara'

Written by RAYE and produced by Punctual (Will Lansley and John Morgan), 'Black Mascara' sees trauma unpacked steadily over a hypnotic dance beat anchored by real pain.

RAYE explains: "This song is about another story that has contributed to my ‘blues’. I used the juxtaposition of an upbeat dance track to tell this awful story of being misled by someone I really loved and trusted. While it was a dark low moment, it was also cathartic for me."

Whilst writing before, RAYE admits utilising a dance music framework to fit in with what was happening on the radio. On 'Black Mascara' it's used as a vehicle to allow the song to even exist.

"The lyric ‘once you see my black mascara run from me to my mother’s hands’ is me saying, ‘if only you could actually see the damage that’s been done.’ But I don’t want the story to end there, it’s meant to be empowering, to lend a voice to women like me who may have experienced their own blues in this 21st century. That’s what my album is about really – tackling all of those blues that we experience as a generation. Ironically, this is the only upbeat dance track on the album, but I used my voice this time to tell a raw unfiltered story.”

The stunning and impassioned video for the track also drops this evening featuring slick choreography perfectly executed by RAYE.