22 March 2024 - 0 Comments

Dynamo Filipino-Kiwi artist Ray Leslie continues to boldly carve a distinctively unique musical path with melodious alt-hip hop track The Fridge All Stocked Feat. Awggey, the second single preluding the release of her most ambitious project to date, the bold Fantasy & Future EP + Movie project.

STREAM THE FRIDGE ALL STOCKED FEAT. AWGGEY HERE

A powerfully reflective and honest hip-hop anthem, The Fridge All Stocked theme speaks to something very important to Ray: the pursuit of the dream. Giving voice to the reality of the artist’s path, it paints a picture of hardships faced and sacrifices made when chasing one’s dream as she meditatively sings: ‘I’ve been chasing dreams, I’ve been in the city’…

Ray explains: “It leans into when I moved out of home for the first time and was living in the city with my best friend. Such an eye-opening experience as I discovered what pursuing the dream really means – struggle, sacrifice, scarcity of money, loneliness...”

But with that narrative, Ray also acknowledges the light amidst the darkness of day to day struggles, that hope persists on the road to growth: “But while it’s hard, it’s worthwhile, and filled with endless passion – I work well in that space, being with my friends constantly creating – always working, never letting up.”

Layered by enchanting instruments, synths, and hard-hitting lines, The Fridge All Stocked was produced by local legend and regular collaborator Abraham Kunin, and sees the pair create a soothing sonic landscape that showcases the eclectic artist’s lyrical and melodic prowess.

Says Ray: “The Fridge All Stocked was another impromptu creative jam session with Abe at Big Pop Studios. We had been experimenting different sounds that fit in the same universe as previous release Who Do You See, and as soon as I hear something that inspires me, I am immediately driven by a melody or lyrics. In this case, it was both and within 5 minutes I had the intro and hook written.”

For The Fridge All Stocked, Ray teamed up with fresh up and coming talent Awggey, whose lyrics and rap flow are the perfect complement to Ray’s lyrical and musical adroitness. An unsurprising fit given that Awggey is also a member of Ray’s collective of urban creatives, Light Beings, a cooperative of artists whose principles stem from creative freedom, unlimited expression, and community.

“Awggey is a disciple of that life, and as a fellow artist is living and breathing what I speak about in this track. In his own words, he recounts what music and this dream means to him, and beautifully so”, adds Ray.

Supported by NZ On Air and Big Pop Studios, Ray has been able to elevate every facet of the track including its visuals. Directed by Luke Penney, the video follows Ray’s collective Light Beings as they navigate through life, with pain, with loneliness, with boredom…and still persist.

The Fridge All Stocked follows first offering off the Fantasy & Future EP, the silky funk of Who Do You See , also produced and directed by Luke Penney and made with the support of NZ On Air.

Within the past five years, Ray has released a total of two albums and three EP’s that have revealed an artist perfecting her sound as she continues to tap into her boundless potential. Last year’s lo-fi aural delight Dog Days  placed on the Top 20 Hot NZ Singles chart and secured airplay on Mai FM, and chill cathartic single Blue Cold  built on the buzz this razor-focused and determined rapper has been creating since first hitting the scene in 2018.

This progressive young, queer rapper is a shining light of raw hip-hop talent thriving in the fertile, burgeoning Auckland underground music scene.

With an ear attuned to rhythm and a mind sensitive to flow, Ray’s distinctive cadence is earning her a solid and impressive reputation as a bold voice in the pioneering alt-hip-hop scene and she revels in the hard-working energy required to persevere as a self-managed indie creator.

As the world remains captivated by the future of the rap genre, Ray Leslie is a unique and dynamic artist who dares to forge her own path. Destined to be one to watch, keep your ear to the ground as Ray Leslie's star rises, and you'll witness an artist evolving into an unstoppable force. Watch out for the upcoming release of the Fantasy & Future EP + Movie this 27 June!

Photo Credit: Crystal Chen

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