'Cause I'm, I'm in love with the thought of you
Don't know where you are, but I hope you're here soon
Baby, your arrival is overdue, I need ya
'Cause I'm, I'm in love with the thought of you
Don't know who you are, but I bet you're pretty cute
With your dirty blonde hair, and your coconut perfume
Take me to the stars with a bottle in my arms
If only I could share this night with someone, that's true
We can listen to some Steve, share our darkest secrets
I won't tell a soul 'cause girl, mine belongs to you
Whoever you are
Pairing a nostalgic backbeat with relatable lyrics and a uniquely captivating vocal, Ray Laurél is fearlessly expressive on their new single, “DONTLEAVEMYSIDE.” They describe the content of the song as a “flash of terror,” felt when a relationship isn’t going well – “Fix her up, call it love, few months later, say goodbye,” they vocalize, in a rapid-fire description of how issues seem to escalate in their relationships. The second verse is comprised of a feature from London-based rapper Jeshi. It contextualizes the track, adding a hardness to it that gives more shape to how toxic the relationship can be and how much the couple depend on each other. “It’s terrifying because you’ve become them and they have become you,” Ray commented when discussing the single. “So I scream… DONTLEAVEMYSIDE.”
This level of anxiety and introspection isn’t new for the London artist; part of their musical journey was realizing that conventionality wasn’t for them. They had to seek out their own musical influences, failing to fit the mold. “Whenever we’d have singing class in school, I’d just burst into tears,” they shared. “I felt extreme anxiety because I really believed I couldn’t sing. I hadn’t found my voice at all. That all came a lot later.” They dealt with this by turning to their influences; artists like Bon Iver and Flume taught Laurél that they could sample their own voice, create production that enhanced their abilities.
Laurél’s identity played a role in the development of their creativity as well. There was a sense of isolation in being the only Indian person at their school growing up, and it created a pressure to excel. “Societally, South Asian people aren’t accepted in the UK for so many reasons, especially as creatives, and then I realised I was queer.” But there’s a silver lining, they recognize: “The trauma of never being good enough is probably why we’re going to be successful. I wouldn’t want it another way, even with my music, I’m gonna push hard to prove people wrong, and push doubly hard because I’m a brown person too.”
You can stream “DONTLEAVEMYSIDE” wherever you listen to music, and be sure to get to know Ray Laurél by following them on Instagram and Tiktok.
