I first heard of the singer Raye when she appeared on Saturday Night Live about six months ago. I confess I usually listen to a few seconds of the musical artists, then typically skip ahead to the next sketch. This one stopped me dead. The best way to describe her is a modern-day Billie Holliday. And just like the incomparable Ms. Holliday, she’s very much of her time. Her songs are very modern indeed, but there’s no denying her classic jazz connections. I’ve never heard hip hop with such obvious jazz roots. I know her music isn’t going to be for everyone (Beloved barely tolerated it), but I think it’s wonderful!

You can follow the luminescent Raye on her website and on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok (at least for now), and Facebook.