Sibling Harmony
RAYE and the family behind her…
Harmony is a blessing. I don't intend to sound religious, but the experience is as such. This phenomenon of nature, resonates in our skull, rushes down our spine and collects in our toes offering a physical sensation in response to airwaves dancing together. But there is a deeper magic that comes forth when harmony is produced by two people of the same origins. Anyone who has a sibling who they sing with, knows just how meditative the experience is.
When we get the chance to experience the super-phenomenon of sibling harmony in the music we consume, it’s noticeable, and all I can do is encourage artists to engage in sibling harmony as much as possible. We've seen it before with the likes of Jackson 5 or Oasis and I have high hopes for a new sibling dynasty to materialize surrounding the recent vocal powerhouse, RAYE.
The people have gotten excited about RAYE… She's made a splash with her powerhouse vocals and vivid, sometimes dark, storytelling. Her hit single "WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” and latest releases “Nightengale Lane” are building up anticipation for her upcoming record “This Music May Contain Hope”. After her early dark pop hit “Escapism” the new sound offers something more theatrical with lush orchestration, gospel-influenced chords, and melodies that echo classic showtunes. The sound is strong and fans are multiplying.
But there's more to the sphere of RAYE than meets the eye. In an exciting new development, we’re being introduced to RAYE’s youngest sister by the artist name Absolutely. With Absolutely’s recent power ballad “I Just Don't Know You Yet”, we are getting some expansion on the impressive vocals that RAYE delivers in her work. The song has garnered some support on social media as a 2nd testament to the family's talent, but that's not all – there's another sister! The middle sister – artist name Amma – is carving out a space in nostalgic music via her “miley - esque” ballad rock songs like “If You Don't Love me”.
A recentvideo of RAYE singing alongside her sister Absolutely at Jingle Bell Ball reveals something instantly striking: at 02:47 their voices lock together with the kind of effortless blend that some call sibling harmony. It's the kind of beautiful sound that can only exist between siblings – a reminder that sometimes the most natural harmonies come from voices shaped by the same musical environment, or even genes.
Not only are the sisters genetically aligned to sound magical together, but their upbringing handed them a one way ticket to unified sound. Father, Paul Keen, ran church service, and Mother, Sara Keen sang in the church choir. Church choir music is one of the best musical examples of blending vocal sound. With such influences, the Keen sisters are armed to have a vibrationally secure hold on the music industry.
On RAYE’s recent release “This Album May Contain Hope”, track 15 “Joy.” features both of her younger sisters. They sing together, joyfully in an upbeat church song with percussion calling back to their Ghanaian roots. The sound is continuous with each of their personalities offering a slightly different level of intensity. It blends with extremely wide dimensions opening to chorus synchrony.
With Sibling Harmony on their side, these three talented sisters have the ingredients for what could become a pop dynasty. This family has got some magic and I am eager to experience what will come from them next.