Oh, to be Ravyn Lenae this year. Since her fan-favourite single Love Me Not went viral on TikTok in 2024, the alt-R&B singer-songwriter from Chicago has been in full ascent.
On Monday 3 November, she filled London’s Camden Roundhouse with devoted fans – a sea of giddiness rippled through the crowd before she even stepped on stage. When she did, it was with a kind of cinematic elegance: dressed in a sheer black gown, signature auburn curls bouncing under the lights. There’s a retro-soul energy to Ravyn: the way she moves, the dreamlike lilt of her vocals and the intimacy of performing with just a guitarist and drummer by her side.
Before the show, I was lucky enough to steal 15 minutes or so with the 26-year-old artist in her dressing room to film her Culture List interview – the corner of Service95 where we ask artists, creators and thinkers to share their go-to creative fuel; the music, books, films and moments that inspire them. She arrived with a beaming, genuinely joyful smile – the kind that tells you someone truly loves what they do – and I could see the excitement on her face for what was to come. (She later opened her set by thanking London for the unwavering support she’s felt from the UK crowd).
Her look backstage was a western-inspired denim co-ord: deep indigo jacket with matching flared jeans, silver studs tracing the seams. She perched on the edge of the dressing table as the glow of the mirror lights framed her like a halo – a perfect prelude to the thoughtful and soft-spoken answers she would share in our Culture List conversation that followed.
In our video interview, Ravyn speaks about her love affair with Chicago, her deep devotion to Black-American soul food and the duality in her personality (part Cat in the Hat playfulness, part Corpse Bride mystique, to use her words). But before I give it all away... discover Ravyn Lenae’s cultural affections our the video below.
