During a recent interview with Zane Lowe, Creative Director for Apple Music, singer-songwriter Rachel Keen (a.k.a. RAYE) said, “In this record I’ve embraced maximalism and expressing and exploring in any genre that I felt I wanted to.”
When listening to her sophomore album THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE, released on March 27, 2026 through Human Re Sources, the listener feels exactly that. RAYE isn’t afraid of anything in this project and she embraces every part of music that she enjoys, while also delivering a wonderful story that deserves a movie.
The project begins with two tracks that help to set this idea of hope. The first, “Intro: The Girl Under The Grey Cloud.,” is RAYE narrating a story of this album’s main character overtop a ballad with strings and horns. Life hasn’t gone her way and she left a night out with her chin to her chest in disappointment. A voicemail from her grandmother saying, “Call me, we need to pray” leads into the pop ballad “I Will Overcome.”
Although the instrumentation of both songs do not give a feeling of hope, the mantra “I will overcome” reigns as the main point for both of them — this idea that life will do as life does and you have no choice but to keep gunning and know that things will get better. In this track she sings,
And I’ll dance and I’ll eat chocolate cake
And I’ll have no regrets till I
Wake up and hate me now
I must know, anyhow
I will keep on.
This encapsulates the intention of the album very clearly and lets the listener know that they will feel hope by the end of the project.
As the album goes on one can see the vast range of genres that RAYE is inspired by. A major standout is “I Hate The Way I Look Today.” This song is an uptempo swing and continues with this theme of keeping one’s head up as life keeps moving even while you aren’t ready. The instrumentation of this tune feels like it was performed with a big band in front of an audience at Blues Alley or Blue Note. She pays homage to the legends who came before her with her vocal timbre and joy in each note she sings. While she doesn’t have the same vocal quality as Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughn, her interactions with the band make it clear she was inspired by both of the singers.
The final song, “Fin,.” brings the story to the best possible conclusion. RAYE ends the project telling people,
This may contain hope
If you didn’t find it, then I must advise it
I’m asking polite, that if hope didn’t find you my friend
We advise you to listen again
which is the best advice she could’ve given.
Tackling topics ranging from not liking oneself to dealing with toxic and heartbreaking people, and ending with the message “you will make it through” is something that everyone needs to hear, especially given the current state of the world. If you find yourself needing a little bit of hope, this album will be sure to give you just that.
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