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The Aftershocks of Sexual Violence Are Poignantly Captured in New Promo for RAYE

02/03/2023
Production Company
London, UK
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KODE produces one take four minute film 'Ice Cream Man' created with all female crew

Known for her jaw-droppingly candid story-telling, British singer-songwriter RAYE releases Ice Cream Man, her second single from the album, My 21st Century Blues. Directed by her and produced by an all-female production team, the biographical and poignant promo captures the raw pain, fear and bravery that’s needed by the victim, in this case Raye, to survive a sexual assault. 

Shot in one perfect take, the film begins with the protagonist, RAYE, staggering into a women’s public bathroom. Stripped of make-up, simply dressed, it’s clear that this is an ordinary day, a trip to the shops; nothing outstanding, nothing unusual, an average 24 hours in a normal life; only clearly, she’s distraught. Something has unnerved her, made her lose her footing, she’s finding solace in a public place, using the empty cubicle as a space to right herself, to find her strength. As the lyrics of Ice Cream Man carry the film, RAYE performs through her body, using an elegant honesty to physically describe the narrative that her lyrics share. 

Kode producer Lily Roberts said: “Working with Raye was an absolute privilege, I will never forget it. Given the emotional performance and the fact it was filmed in one shot, I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was challenging. Still, it was worth every minute, and I have never been so inspired by a performance in a music video.”

Subtlety runs throughout the 4.24’ promo. The abuse of others is visually and simply captured by random hands slowly touching and groping her body, as the lyrics speak of “consent” and the effects of sexual abuse on her life. “all the stress of being honest wouldn’t help me.  I pushed it down but it was living in me rent free. And then I fell into some things that weren’t healthy. A place where no one heard me asking them to help me” RAYE began writing Ice Cream Man when she was 19. It was a song that she was never encouraged to share. Now at 25, she sings of her experiences with substance abuse and assault to process the trauma of her past and to show others that they’re understood. 

RAYE comments: “1 in 3 women experience sexual violence in their lifetime. 1 in 4 men experience sexual violence in their lifetime. 1 in 2 transgenders will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. Which means, that at least 25% of those reading this statement have been victims of sexual violence. If I can encourage anything, let’s not bury it deep down inside us forever. This evil has more power over us in the darkness, than it does in the light.”

As we witness RAYE move through fear and panic, we see her soothe her body. Beginning in anxiety, through tears, watching her crumble to the floor. As the lyrics calmly rap about her real struggle with her experiences, her resilience ebbs through. The line “You pathetic dead excuse for a man” sees her rise to her feet, wipe her face, straighten her clothes; the audience witnesses her find her inner strength, tenderly picking herself up and gently exiting the room. 

After the success of her first single, Escapism, which she released through TikTok and then saw climb on the Billboard Hot100 charts, earning her a number 1 slot in 2023, RAYE is becoming a phenomenon, not only in the UK, but internationally. Her debut album, My 21st Century Blues was released on February 3rd 2023; reaching #2 in the UK album charts. Containing 15 singles, including Escapism and Ice Cream Man, RAYE will tour across Europe and North America this coming year.

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