Ravyn Lenae facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ravyn Lenae
Ravyn Lenae at Camp Flog Gnaw 2023
Background information
Birth name	Ravyn Lenae Washington
Born	(1999-01-22) January 22, 1999 (age 26) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Alternative R&B R&B neo soul
Occupation(s)	Singer Songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2014–present
Labels	Atlantic Three Twenty Three
Associated acts	Zero Fatigue

Ravyn Lenae Washington (born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 22, 1999) is an American R&B singer and songwriter. She is signed with Atlantic Records and the Three Twenty Three Music Group. Ravyn Lenae is also part of a music group called Zero Fatigue. Her first collection of songs, called an EP, was Moon Shoes. It came out in 2015 and was later released again by Atlantic Records in 2016. Her next EP, Midnight Moonlight, was released in 2017. Ravyn Lenae has performed at many music festivals. She has also toured with famous singers like SZA and Noname.

She released her first full album, Hypnos, on May 20, 2022. Her second album, Bird's Eye, came out on August 9, 2024. Both albums were praised by music critics.

Early Life and Music Start

Growing Up in Chicago

Ravyn Lenae Washington was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her mother is from Panama. Ravyn's grandfather from her mother's side was in a doo wop music group in Panama. Doo wop is a style of music with singing groups. She grew up in the Pullman area of Chicago. Her family was part of the Christian Reformed Church. Her grandfather, Richard Williams, was the pastor there for 30 years. Ravyn says that singing in church helped her discover her love for music.

First Steps in Music

When she was in middle school at Roseland Christian School, Ravyn Lenae started writing her own songs. Later, she went to the Chicago High School for the Arts. There, she studied classical music. She finished high school in May 2017 when she was 18 years old.

Ravyn Lenae's Music Journey

Early Releases and Tours

When Ravyn Lenae was a sophomore in high school, she spent $300 on a studio session. This session led to her first song, "Greetings." Soon after, in 2015, she was featured on a song called "Baby" by Monte Booker. Monte Booker, Ravyn Lenae, and rapper Smino became the first members of the music group Zero Fatigue. This group was started by Chris "Classick" Innumerable at his studio.

Ravyn Lenae's first EP, Moon Shoes, was first available for free in August 2015. But then, Atlantic Records and the Three Twenty Three Music Group released it again in 2016. Critics praised her for her smooth singing and meaningful, poetic words.

Ravyn Lenae performing as part of the Telefone Tour on March 5, 2017.

In 2016, Ravyn Lenae officially signed with Atlantic Records. She also sang on Mick Jenkins' album The Healing Component. She was also featured on Noname's song "Forever." From January to March 2017, Ravyn Lenae toured with Noname and opened her shows. She also performed at a music event with other members of the Medicine Woman group: Drea Smith, Via Rosa, and Jean Deaux.

She released her second EP, Midnight Moonlight, on March 3, 2017. Later that month, she performed at SXSW, a big music festival. She was also featured on Smino's song "Glass Flows." Rolling Stone magazine named her one of "10 New Artists You Need to Know." In the next few months, she performed at other festivals. These included Mamby on the Beach in Chicago and Culture Shock in New York. Starting in August 2017, Ravyn Lenae opened for SZA on her Ctrl Tour. This tour ended in December 2017. On February 9, 2018, she released her third EP, Crush. This EP was fully produced by Steve Lacy.

Debut Album and Beyond

On February 1, 2022, Ravyn Lenae released "Skin Tight" with Steve Lacy. This was the first song from her first full album, Hypnos. She released Hypnos on May 20, 2022. The album featured many talented artists and producers. These included Monte Booker, Steve Lacy, Kaytranada, Fousheé, Mereba, Smino, Sango, Luke Titus, IAMNOBODI, Phoelix, and Teo Halm. She also announced a tour that would visit 16 cities, starting in Seattle, Washington. Another artist, Unusual Demont, joined her on this tour.

Her Unique Sound

What Her Music is Like

Critics have described Ravyn Lenae's music as a mix of different styles. One writer said she sounds like a blend of Kelela, Azealia Banks, and a young Kelis. Her music combines "nu soul, electro-jazz, chamber pop, and ambient hip-hop." The Austin American-Statesman newspaper said her style is like "a watercolor R&B with surprising depth." This means her music is colorful and has many layers.

Who Inspired Her

Ravyn Lenae has said that artists like OutKast, Timbaland, India.Arie, and Erykah Badu have influenced her music. A writer for Pitchfork reviewed her singing on Monte Booker's "Baby." They said she sounded like both Billie Holiday and Erykah Badu. They also said the song felt like Lauryn Hill's Unplugged album mixed with the style of J Dilla.

When comparing her first two EPs, a writer for Rolling Stone said Midnight Moonlight "talks about love in a gentle way." This was similar to the quiet beauty found in Moon Shoes, where she "sings about life as a dreamy, sometimes-sad teenager in a softly confident voice." Another review from Pitchfork noted that Midnight Moonlight has "a calm, evening feel, good for relaxing," especially when compared to the "much brighter" energy of Moon Shoes.

Albums and EPs

Studio Albums

Extended Plays (EPs)