Raye and Mark Ronson
Acclaimed British songstress Raye and superstar producer Mark Ronson have joined forces for a new single, “Suzanne,” marking the first time the two powerhouses have worked together on new music.
The summer-ready single, “Suzanne,” is a fitting entry into both Raye and Ronson’s catalogs with a blend of jazz club instrumentals and a poolside pop sensibility. The song was released in celebration of Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary as part of the watchmaker’s AP x Music program, anchored by ventures like Ronson’s ongoing “Syncing Sounds” series, which in the past has included another R&B singer collaboration: Lucky Daye’s 2022 single “Too Much.”
Raye sings to the “Suzanne” in question over Ronson’s instrumentation as she shares honest thoughts about their budding relationship.
“Time gives way to the magic hour, sunset at the bar / You rest your left ear on my shoulder and I wonder if that’s just how you are / I whisper to the waiter, ‘A glass of something strong’ / ‘Cause I’m about to finally tell you how I’ve been feeling all along,” she sings on the track. “Eyes are like the ocean, nails are painted green / And I know this sounds like a lie, but I swear you’re the prettiest I ever seen / Now I can’t tell you if you into me, so I’ma say it out loud / Things I never say, the things I should’ve said, I couldn’t, and I guess I’m telling you now.”
Reflecting on the song and the feelings it sparks, Raye said “For me, it’s just joy,” according to Elle. “The song makes me so happy — I find it so infectious.” Getting to work with Ronson especially was a dream come true for the “Escapism” crooner given her time working in his London studio as an up-and-coming songwriter.
“I’ve always been a Mark Ronson superfan,” she confessed. “Mark is a king of timeless music — music that outlasts trends, that outlasts phases.”
Ronson, for his part, acknowledged the song’s emotional underbelly, calling it “slightly melancholy, but still joyous.” Despite working on myriad songs in the past with some of the biggest names in music, Ronson holds “Suzanne” in especially high regard. “This is one of my favorite pieces of music I’ve worked on in a long time,” he said.
Raye is set to take the stage at Bonnaroo Festival on June 14 and will perform at music festivals across Europe this summer.
