Ravyn Lenae has been a very busy woman. While she’s been featured on some of the hottest collaborations of the year (like her “Video” contribution to Kaytranada’s recent album Timeless), she’s also been putting out some daring music of her own with singles “Love Me Not,” “Dream Girl” and “Love Is Blind.” The singles, from her upcoming album Bird’s Eye, give us an idea of what to expect from the set, and she gives us one more listen with her latest single “One Wish.”
“One Wish” is a soulful number from Ravyn that finds her reminiscing on her relationship with her father. The song revolves around a looped guitar-and-vocal sample that gives it a classic feel. It also provides a noticeable contrast to the singer’s own feather-soft delivery. Meanwhile, the lyrics point to the rocky ups and downs that defined their connection.
“Called me on my birthday / I thought you’d be on your way / Candles burned down to the cake / Still not seeing your face,” she sings from the perspective of her childhood. “I can’t spend this one wish on you.”
Rather than not give her father a voice in this dialog, she invites Childish Gambino to offer a verse on his behalf as he relays the turmoil he might have felt. “Tried to go out of my way / But couldn’t find the words to say / Left a message with your mama / Oh, she gave me drama,” he sings. “I hope that your one wish / Does come true / I miss you.”
The “One Wish” video, while not featuring Gambino, does a good job of balancing the song’s perspectives. The clip takes us for a ride as it shows how the relationship between Ravyn Lenae and her father has affected her relationships throughout her life. There are a lot of life-defining moments, some a joy to behold and some a pain to witness. By the video’s end, however, we see her in control as she drives her car down the street while her childhood self smiles as she looks out of the back window.
Speaking about the song in a press release, Lenae said, “It was important for me to address these built-up emotions in song in order for us to now be on a beautiful path of genuinely learning each other + rekindling. Something valuable I’ve learned is being able to really humanize my loved ones and understand the context around people more deeply.”
Amen to that. Stream the audio and watch the video for “One Wish” when you head below. Bird’s Eye will arrive on Friday, August 2nd and is available to pre-save and pre-order now.
