Ravyn Lenae Says If You’re Not Singing Along With “American Boy” in the Tour Van, You Just Might Be a Serial Killer
In the first installment of our series Tour Soundtrack, the R&B artist talks about playing Estelle, Labi Siffre, Solange, and more while she’s on the road.
Tour Soundtrack is an interview series where artists talk about what they’re listening to as they travel from city to city, show to show.
Earlier this month, two hours before ethereal R&B singer Ravyn Lenae is set to take the stage at Manhattan’s Webster Hall, the line is already snaked around the block, up an avenue, and over to the next street. Every single person queued up is beautifully appointed and fully decked-out—just impeccable fashion, like they’re going to a very cool Zoomer prom, all hair bows and micro-minis and glamorous knee-high boots.
When I enter the venue to talk with Lenae, who’s wearing her own miniskirt and slouchy thigh-high boots, she and her two-piece band are soundchecking in front of a handful of her most dedicated fans. They stand rapt as Lenae’s voice floats to the high heavens (or at least the ornate ceiling) on “Love Is Blind,” from her recent album, Bird’s Eye. Then I join her backstage, where her ebullient mom, Angie, is perched on a black leather sofa. Lenae’s makeup artist begins tending to the singer’s brows (they end up snatched), before Lenae changes into a Luar halter dress for the show.
The Chicago artist began releasing music in 2015, when she was 16, and spent the latter part of her teen years on the road with stars like SZA and Noname. Since the 2022 release of her first full-length album, Hypnos, which showcased her phenomenally unpressed voice over unconventional synth squelches, Lenae’s stature has only grown, landing her headlining tours and coveted festival spots. Bird’s Eye ramps up the galactic specter of her Hypnos sound while flirting with elements of classic soul, pop, and folk. She’s an old soul with a vocal surety that doesn’t require theatrics.
In the makeup chair, Lenae scrolls through her phone for the songs she’s been bumping in the Sprinter van and reflects on her audience. “My fans always look, like, moisturized,” she says sagely, before giving us all some good advice for keeping it cute in the chaos of road life.
Here are five songs that she’s currently listening to as she continues her trek through America and Europe.