Ravyn with a "Y"

Some people have been following Ravyn Lenae’s journey since 2016. Some people learned about her through Love Me Not on TikTok. Then, there's me, somewhere in the middle. I was introduced to her through Moon Shoes around 2019-2020. Then, I became familiar with her with Hypnos which I played into the ground. 

As a soft-spoken girly who grew up singing in choir, hearing another singer with soft, smooth vocals and poetic lyrics felt like looking in a mirror. When Birds Eye dropped in the fall of 2024, I started teaching art to elementary school students. The album became the soundtrack to my life at that time. My personal favorites from the album being Pilot, Genius, and From Scratch. Her music then and now feels so relatable and reminds me to look within to connect more with myself. 

From Scratch tells me that no matter how much we evolve or start over, we can always return to ourselves. In Spring 2024, I released an EP 4-1-1 that explored the same concept. I always seem to relate to songs like that. So this song feels deeply personal to me. It was the perfect impetus to create the portrait I made of her. So, on October 18th in D.C., I finally got to see her live.

This was my first solo concert experience. I had no expectations of how the night would go; I just knew I was eager to hear Ravyn live. So, I called my Uber and was on my way. I put my airpods in and tuned out the world. Of course, listening to Ravyn Lenae herself to get in the mood. I looked out the window and took in the scenery of the beautiful city of D.C., I get to call home. Although I never lived in the city, I have familial roots here. It’s a hop and skip away from Prince George’s County, which is so heavily influenced by it. The city is so romantic to me, especially at night. Getting a glimpse of couples sitting in restaurant booths to the soft yellow porch lights of a 19th-century home reflected in rainwater puddled on the pavement. It was a nice calm before the storm, if you will. ;)

I arrived at the venue with my portrait in hand and was stunned at the number of people my eyes were met with. The line was wrapped around the entire block. It took almost an hour to clear. I was finally in. I immediately connected with Jordan, a super kind person on Ravyn’s team, who I had gotten in touch with to help coordinate meeting Ravyn before the concert. I’m so appreciative of her. Everyone was so responsive and helped to make this a memorable experience. It goes to show the hearts of the people Ravyn has around her. Jordan brought me backstage, where I anxiously waited.

I lingered in this little corner backstage for all of seven minutes, trying not to overthink. There was a strange stillness until I heard the door open. Ravyn ascends from a long staircase and endearingly says, “Hi Raven with an e!” to which I reply, “Hey Ravyn with a y!” Although I wasn’t surprised, I was more so reassured that she was as sweet as pie. I explained to her how much that song means to me, and her face lit up when I told her about the detail of the From Scratch song lyrics in the background. I remember rambling, and in that moment, I wanted to talk about everything. Music, art, songwriting… my whole life story, even. There were so many things still left to say, but she didn’t have all day. She had a show to put on. A show she put on, indeed.

After almost shedding tears, Jordan kindly escorted me to the concert hall. I had already accepted that I wouldn’t get a good spot because the entire venue was filled, so that was an easy trade-off for meeting Ravyn. However, I found myself in front of the stage, inches from the barricade. My first glimpse of her on stage, I was in awe. Singing live for an hour straight, her voice sounded incredible. She is so animated on stage. It was like watching a modern-day Diana Ross or Donna Summer. A true superstar!

Everything about the night felt like a reminder of home and a reflection of possibility. The world Ravyn builds through every song carries so much of her Chicago upbringing, yet somehow echoes my own childhood. There’s so many parallels (beyond our names) that make me feel so understood. As a creative Black girl from the DMV, I have a deep gratitude I can only express through art.

Framed in my brain. Like a portrait. A sweet memory that will always live with me.