Rich Brian is no stranger to reinvention, but as his new single, “Little Ray Of Light,” attests, this chapter is new. As the lead single from his next solo album in six years, the song represents a departure in sound and storytelling.
Renowned for his acerbic lyricism and effortless flow, the Indonesian artist steps away from rap, channeling a sound that is comparatively more melodic and instrument-driven this time. The result is a gorgeously melancholic meditation on love, loss, and the painful acceptance of the knowledge that some things, and people are not meant to last.
Rich Brian put his solo career on hold for about 18 months while working on 88rising’s ‘1999 WRITE THE FUTURE’ project, where he carved a path for a new roster of artists signed under the RCA joint venture. But now he’s back with something much more personal, and he’s used that time to develop. “Little Ray Of Light” swaps hard-hitting beats for rich analog instrumentation, working in warm guitars and soft production under his newly sharpened vocals.
Lyrically, the song narrates a bittersweet tale of disenchantment. The woman Brian once looked up to, the woman who lit up his life like a little ray of light, has become a different person. That spark, that innocence, it’s gone. And with that realization comes the furthest-hardest decision to walk away. His delivery has a sadness, a weight of voice that makes the track feel all the more real. It’s about recognizing that people grow apart, even when you don’t wish they would.
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