Raye wore a plunging fishnet dress to speak about her “empowering” new track and “talking to God” on the BBC Live lounge on Thursday.
The 25-year-old singer beamed as she posed for photos outside the London studio in the sleek black dress with cut-out details.
As she joined the show to perform an acoustic version of Escapism, she spoke about her “powerful” track Buss It Down from her forthcoming album My 21st Century Blues.
Raye looked chic in the fitted ensemble which she paired with a pair of quirky black leather boots.
She pulled her red hair back into a sleek, high bun and accessorised it with a pair of sparkling silver earrings.
Chic: Raye, 25, wore a plunging fishnet dress to speak about her “empowering” new track and “talking to God” on the BBC Live Lounge on Thursday
Referring to the album’s Buss It Down, Raye stated, “It’s a powerful record that women can hear – that anyone can hear – and just feel powerful.”
Although she added that the song, which has open lyrics in this gospel context, required a conversation with God beforehand.
“Me and God, we talked and I said, ‘Yeah, I’m going to sing a song about sex instead of a gospel song,’ but that’s between us and we’ll find out,” she laughed.
Raye continued, “My goal now is to build a following. To put on the craziest live show anyone has ever seen.
“My goal is to bring artistic excellence and be as great as I possibly can. If that catches a wave then amazing but I won’t freak out or direct my plans or change my purpose.
It comes after Raye revealed she wanted to sing about her experiences of substance abuse and assault to help process the trauma in her past.
Last week, the singer scored her first number one hit with the single Escapism, the lead track from her forthcoming album.
In the candid track, Raye sings about trying to numb herself after a breakup with alcohol and cocaine, with BRIT Award-nominated Web telling that opening up about her experiences served as “medicine”.
Pretty: The singer beamed as she posed for photos outside the London studio in the stylish black dress with cut-out details
Coming up: Joining the show to perform an acoustic version of Escapism, she opened up about her “powerful” track Buss It Down from her forthcoming album My 21st Century Blues
Revealing that she “feels like a new artist,” Raye explained, “This album deals with some pretty intense themes and things that are unattractive as a woman. We are encouraged to remain calm or it is perceived as embarrassing.
“It’s about substance, abuse and something I was pretty lost in at the worst of times.
“I know the song talks about heartbreak, but for me the song was about more than that. It was also about trauma processing.”
Coming Soon: Speaking about the album’s Buss It Down, Raye explained, “It’s a powerful record that women can hear – that everyone can hear – and it just feels powerful.”
Raw: Although she added that the song, which has open lyrics in this gospel context, required a conversation with God beforehand
Raye touches on substance abuse, assault and sexual violence and fear in her lyrics, and explains that she didn’t want to shy away from “difficult” subjects.
She revealed: “I just want to be a woman who discusses uncomfortable topics that we don’t talk about, those are all things I’ve struggled with in the dark and in the silence.
“You hope that when you write about these songs and get them out into the world, you just hope that people will hear them and relate to them too.
“It’s very much medicine in a way that you feel different than attaching a pretty painful emotion to it.
“It’s just very empowering for me, and I hope it can be medicine for everyone else who needs it.”
While the process of writing the songs was cathartic, it also prompted open and frank conversations with her loved ones — some of whom had no idea she’d been battling demons.
Elaboration: “Me and God, we spoke and I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to sing a song about sex over a gospel song,’ but that’s between us and we’ll find out,” she laughed
Opening up: Raye touches on substance abuse, assault and sexual violence and fear in her lyrics, and explains that she didn’t shy away from “difficult” subjects