Genesis (Raye song)

"Genesis" is a song by English singer and songwriter Raye. She co-wrote it with Marvin Hemmings and produced it with Rodney Jerkins, Shankar Ravindran, and Tom Richards. The song was first performed at the 44th edition of the Brit Awards and was previewed on season 49 of the American television show Saturday Night Live. Before its official title was announced on May 17, 2024, media publications and fans referred to the song as "Let There Be Light". It was released independently on June 7, 2024, with a music video co-directed by Raye and Otis Dominique premiering on the same date.

"Genesis"
Single by Raye
Released	7 June 2024 (2024-06-07)
Recorded	2022–2024
Genre	R&B jazz hip hop big band gospel
Length	7:00
Label	Human Re Sources
Songwriter(s)	Rachel Keen Marvin Hemmings
Producer(s)	Raye Rodney Jerkins Shankar Ravindran Tom Richards
Raye singles chronology
"Worth It" (2023) "Genesis" (2024)
Music video
"Genesis" on YouTube

Developed over two years, "Genesis" is structured into three acts and experiments with various genres, including jazz, contemporary R&B, hip hop, gospel music, and pop. The lyrics address social and personal problems such as depression, exhaustion, and anxiety, while also conveying themes of hope. Upon its release, the song received positive reviews from music journalists. Raye included "Genesis" in the regular setlist of her fourth concert tour in 2024 and performed it at several events. The single peaked at number twenty two on the UK singles chart.

Background

Raye began working on "Genesis" in 2022, months before the release of her debut studio album, My 21st Century Blues (2023). She expressed that she has "scrutinized, replaced, remade, and passionately sculpted" the song to be the way she imagined it. The singer is passionate about the song, and feels like "it deserved all the time that was spent on it." After receiving a mixed response from her management about the length of the track, Raye still wanted to release it as it was; she stated: "This is about art, if it was about selling music, then I would not have made it this way."

At the 2024 Brit Awards, Raye broke the record with six wins and seven nominations for an artist in a single year. At the ceremony, she performed a medley of four songs: "Ice Cream Man," "Prada," "Escapism," and the then-untitled song. In the first months of the year, Raye included "Genesis" on the regular setlist of her fourth concert tour, the My 21st Century Blues Tour. On April 6, 2024, during season 49 of the American television show Saturday Night Live, Raye also performed the track, which media publications had referred to as "Let There Be Light."

Release

The singer announced the release of "Genesis" as a single on her social media on May 17, 2024, along with its official title and the confirmation of the release date. She shared a photo of the 7-inch single and wrote: "It kind of hurts a bit to call this piece of music a 'single' because it is so much more than just a song to me". On June 3, Raye hosted the Genesis Exhibition, a special pop-up exhibition in New York City to promote the song; at the event, she said: "This is a seven-minute piece of music that I'm so proud of and I worked so hard on". Days later, she also posted a snippet of the music video. Shortly before "Genesis" was released, Raye performed it on the Selhurst railway station platform in London, accompanied by a live band. The track was released independently on June 7, 2024, via Human Re Sources and was sent to Italian airplay on the same date.

Music and lyrics

"Genesis" is a seven-minute song structured into three acts, in which she experiments with different genres and sonic expressions. She said that she had "so much" that she wanted to say on the track. Its overall lyrics discuss issues of body image, social pressures, and a yearning for validation, along with other themes. In a statement, Raye expressed that it is "a prayer, a plea and a cry for help and I really hope this song will be able to bring some hope, the way this music does for me, to those who need it most." Raye had a quote from Nina Simone in mind while creating the record: "An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times." She said that it is "such a deep, heavy, powerful, important, burdening, and overwhelming but important quote." The title of the song reflects changes, new origins, and references the Book of Genesis.

The gospel-tinged first part of the track deals with sobriety, a part of the lyrics that Raye followed with: "But I can feel the demons waiting on my downfall / Since I'm so ugly and irrelevant / I've been losing friends as if I’m tryna get rid of them." It offers harmonies and sweeping strings. The second part includes jazz, contemporary R&B, hip hop, and elements of pop music. It contains a dramatic, dark brass section. "Genesis" concludes with a repetition of the plea of "Let There Be Light" over a jazz and big band instrumental.

Critical reception

Upon its release, "Genesis" received positive reviews. Writing for Clash, Sophie Harman described "Genesis" as a standout release, a "raw and emotive" track. She gave the song a rating of 8 out of 10, and said that "Raye's candid exploration of mental health and body image resonates with many listeners, offering a sense of shared experience". The critic also lauded Raye's vocal delivery for being "delicate and strong, capturing the duality of her fragility and resilience." Abbie Reynolds of Capital FM named "Genesis" a "huge moment in music history", and compared it to when the British band Queen released their six-minute song "Bohemian Rhapsody." Jenesaispop's Jordi Bardaj called "Genesis" the most ambitious composition of Raye's musical career, and described it as epic and historic. Andrew Unterberger of Billboard included the song on its list of the must-hear releases of the week, and wrote: "It's a lot, and none of it is expected — meaning it might not quite have the pop appeal of "Escapism" — but it will certainly find its audience, and for many it will likely end up being nothing short of a revelation." Consequence's staff admired Raye's vocals for "running wild" and the transition between the second and third part, that "very few artists could execute." Tyler Damara Kelly of The Line of Best Fit interpreted "Genesis" as a "confrontational acknowledgement of a chapter not yet closed but with a set intention for a new beginning."

Track listing

• Digital EP

1. "Genesis" – 7:00
2. "Genesis, pt. I" – 1:16
3. "Genesis, pt. II" – 3:28
4. "Genesis, pt. III" – 2:22

• 7-inch

1. "Genesis"
2. "Genesis" (Instrumental)

Charts

Chart performance for "Genesis"

Chart (2024)	Peak position
Ireland (IRMA)	53
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)	20
UK Singles (OCC)	22
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)	4
UK Indie (OCC)	3
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)	39
US Rhythmic (Billboard)	30

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Is It Over Now?"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label	Ref.
Various	June 7, 2024	7-inch single digital download streaming	Human Re Sources
Italy		Radio airplay
United States	June 10, 2024	Contemporary hit radio