INTERVIEW: Cloud Ray drops new single “We Need”

Coming out of Middlesex in New Jersey, Cloud Ray is an exciting artist making pop-focused hip hop, taking cues from a diverse range of artists such as J. Cole, the Black Eyed Peas Kanye West and Nicki Minaj. His creative output is built on his versatility and relentless artistic exploration, embracing a broad sonic spectrum that merges elements of hip hop, pop, dance and house into a fabric of compelling music.

First making an entrance in 2022, he dropped his debut EP titled Urban City Elegance, unveiling his original sonic vision across the five track release. The momentum continued to build throughout 2023, marked by electrifying tours in major cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, Dallas and New Orleans. Cloud Ray’s live performances, formed by vibrant stage presence often accompanied by dancers and live bands, delivered unforgettable spectacles. His breakout single, “Burn It Down,” released last summer, witnessed him taking over legendary venues like New York’s S.O.B’s, further staking his claim as a must-watch artist and a dynamic performer.

Now he brings us his latest release, kicking into 2024 with the new single titled “We Need.” Revealing a more personal side to his musical output, his new single sees him tackle the breakdown of family ties that caused him pain and anguish for years.

With a refreshing sense of honesty, his poignant songwriting is wrapped up in the catchy and energising sound that’s seen him go from from strength to strength over the last couple of years. Started off with the playful taps of muted xylophone-esque tones, Cloud Ray’s vocalisations bring in the snapping beat, resulting in an uptempo cut as he threads his razor-sharp vocal flow above.

Building the arrangement with buzzing synth tones and bright staccato shots, he injects dynamic flow as the drums drop out to leave room for his soulful melodic leads to deliver hooks that are at once infectious and moving. It’s a slick alternative hip hop outing tinged with pop and R&B vibes that sees Cloud Ray serve up an instantly memorable sound with instilled with meaningful lyricism.

“We Need” will no doubt dazzle his existing fanbase while winning over new listeners all over the world. Commenting on the single, he shares, “Often we don’t see artists talk in-depth about the relationships that they have with their families but ‘We Need’ confidently takes a stance, participating in that conversation.”

We caught up with Cloud Ray to find out more about his musical journey so far, his new single “We Need” and what he’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Cloud Ray below.

Hey Cloud Ray, how’s things?

Hi Plastic Magazine. I have been blessed, prosperous and abundant. Surely I can expect that the same is true for you as well. I’m so glad that we have the chance to chat again! I have been working hard behind the scenes to get my music and content scheduled so that everyone can hear and see what’s next from me.

What’s new since we last spoke in August?

Since we last spoke in August, I was featured on an EDM record titled ‘Gaslighter’ which was released in September last year. I had so much fun working on that record and it has definitely become one of my favorite songs to listen to. In January of this year, I performed at Pianos in New York City with a live band and to my surprise, two fans of my music drove up from South Carolina to see me perform! To give a clear perspective on why it’s such a big deal, South Carolina is 5 states away from New York or 11 hours and 30 minutes of a drive. I was completely blown away by this and so grateful that I could provide them with an amazing show. I also released a single titled ‘We Need’ and it is one of my more vulnerable records. I feel happy about the way that ‘We Need’ has allowed me to travel deeper into my personal life through my music. This is something that was quite terrifying to me initially but now I feel more of a weight lifted off of my chest. I needed to put this song out more than I knew.

What was your highlight of 2023?

My highlight of 2023 had to be touring across the United States and getting to experience so many cities that I have never been to before. I was able to gradually see how each city maintains a different lifestyle and this really opened my mind to seeing that the world is not just the way I have known it to be in my hometown. I felt motivated to stay on the road and continue meeting new fans, discovering new artists, and making more memories that are truly unforgettable. I have never experienced what tour life was like and by being on tour, I uncovered within myself how addicting this could be for me.

Last year you played live all over the USA in cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, Dallas and New Orleans. What was your favourite performance?

Playing live all over the USA was truly a dream come true. My favourite performance had to be in Los Angeles where I really was able to connect with the crowd in such a vulnerable condition. After performing my fun and upbeat records, ‘Can’t Blame U’ and ‘404 User Not Found’, I ended up performing a record that normally isn’t included in my set. That record is ‘Take’ and I performed it because coincidentally, that day was the death anniversary of my mom. As much as I wanted to wear a proud smile that day, I was very emotional and I needed an outlet. Before I performed ‘Take’, I dedicated the performance of that song to my mom and I explained to the crowd how I was really feeling. The ENTIRE crowd came right up to the stage to be as present with me as they possibly could and I had never before felt so connected with my fans, friends, and strangers alike.

Where do you want to play next?

I would love to perform at an award show like the BET Awards or The Grammys. I would want to perform with a full set design, dancers, a live band, great lighting, and a dramatic visual display behind me. I also would love to perform in the UK where many people listen to my music. I am hopeful to get out there and deliver an energetic and entertaining performance.

How do you try and connect with the audience when playing live?

Being that I am mostly performing my uptempo songs, I connect with the crowd through hype engagement. I hit the stage with an energetic grand entrance, give them catchy lyrics to sing with me, and leave the stage with a grand exit which usually leaves the audience feeling good and craving more from me. I find so much enjoyment in crowd participation and the engagement I get from that lets me know that they are really enjoying themselves as well. Before I leave the stage, I always take time to thank the audience for their participation and support. I am forever grateful that the crowd can resonate and connect with me that way.

What artists have you been listening to recently?

Lately, I have been listening to a lot of songs from an artist who I met on tour. He’s a super talented songwriter and vocalist and his live performances definitely solidify him in all aspects of what a professional performer is. His name is Superlative Sain and he just released his latest single titled ‘Love and Affection’ which has quickly become one of my favourite Superlative Sain records to listen to. My family caught wind of him through me and now they are just as tuned in to him as I am! If you enjoy Afrobeats, Dancehall, RnB, Hip Hop, and even some House music then I would highly recommend checking him out. You will not be disappointed.

How did you find making your new single “We Need”?

‘We Need’ was created around the same time that ‘Urban City Elegance’ was being finalised in 2021. Since the record was so personal, I felt uncomfortable sharing that part of my life with the world so early on into my career. I came to realise that releasing this record would help me to feel a release from my emotions and also it would help me to genuinely connect with people. This is the reason I create music to begin with. I first began working on the vocals with my artist development coach, Natalie Kaye Robertson, who really helped me to put intention behind every word I sing or rap in that record. She felt all the passion and pain that I had experienced from this situation and through her guidance she was able to connect with me to help me tell my story’. I then brought the record to my mixing engineer, @mixedbygabriel, and through the recording and mixing process, he really helped bring the sounds of this song to life. I am grateful that I was able to have a more hands-on involvement during the mixing process of the song because it was illuminating to be able to pick his brain on specific engineering techniques that would ultimately take the song to the next level. Finally, the record was finished with the mixing stage and was ready for Joe LaPorta of Sterling Sounds to master it. Overall, I am completely satisfied with how ‘We Need’ has turned out and I’ve also gotten great reception on it already.

It’s quite a personal song, did you find writing the song a therapeutic process?

I wrote this song with the intention to set a boundary for myself and others, yet at the same time, I wanted to express my compassion for one of my family members from a distance. On the horizon of healing from a 4 year relationship, I went through a toil with this family member that left me feeling betrayed and discarded. This was an unfortunate intricacy of that 4 year relationship. At the time, I thought that the heartbreak of my relationship would be the hardest thing for me to endure but I quickly realized that the most emotional heartbreak would come from within my own family. Writing this song was only one form of therapy for me that, in hindsight, was a necessity but releasing the song was the counterpart to writing it that truly helped me to navigate the therapeutic process.

Was it difficult to craft a personal song that’s relatable for others?

Honestly, I did not know for certain that anyone would relate to this song or even take what I was saying seriously. Not releasing this song, until recently, was a decision I made because of how scary the thought of being this vulnerable was to me. I didn’t know if people would feel like I was oversharing or if I was just not relatable in this subject matter. I knew that I wanted to protect my feelings and skip any possible negative judgment from the world. At the time, I kept thinking “this song is just for me, I don’t have to share it” but with that thought there was always a subtle feeling of being unfulfilled. It was only until I stepped into my confidence and bravery that I was able to see how much people might actually need this. Now, seeing the amount of testimonies from people who are telling me how much they needed this record is so validating, empowering and uplifting. I feel confident that I made the right decision to put ‘We Need’ out and share this part of my life

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to it?

Even though this record speaks to my personal life and situation, I want listeners to find comfort within this record of how it may relate to them. Their own interpretation of how ‘We Need’ relates to them means more to me than investigating my own personal situation because I am finding my healing through this song as well. I also want listeners to feel comforted by knowing that they’re not alone in what they may be going through. Hopefully, through listening to ‘We Need’, listeners can experience an emotional release like I did.

Finally, what else do you have lined up for 2024?

2024 is going to be a major year for Cloud Ray! You can expect to see me back on tour across the United States and maybe even overseas while also releasing plenty of new music. I have some amazing collaborations that I am excited to share and I also have plenty of new content and new visuals lined up for release that are going to elevate what you already know about Cloud Ray! Plastic Magazine, thank you immensely for interviewing me today. As always, it has been a great pleasure to talk to you and thank you for building such a comfortable space for me to be able to share in.

Listen to We Need below