4 years ago today, RAYE released “Escapism.” featuring 070 Shake. “Escapism.” was the unique breakout moment for an artist already backed by a catalog of hits. British singer-songwriter RAYE had spent nearly a decade in the music industry scoring dance hits and penning tracks for fellow artists before revealing in mid 2021 that her label would not allow her to release her debut album. She was met with an outpouring of support from other artists and later returned with the news that she had parted ways with them and was now navigating the industry as an independent artist. On June 30th, 2022, she released her first single as an independent artist, “Hard Out Here,” which saw her face head-on the misogyny and patriarchal structures of the music industry. It marked a strong re-introduction for the singer and refreshed her musical identity. Then, in October, she dropped “Escapism.” featuring American rapper 070 Shake as a dual single alongside “The Thrill Is Gone,” keeping the momentum ...