Ravyn Lenae

Ravyn Lenae
Ravyn Lenae performing as part of the Telefone Tour on March 5, 2017.
Background information
Born	Chicago, Illinois
Genres	R&B, neo soul
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2014-present
Labels	Atlantic Records
Associated acts	Smino, Monte Booker, Bari, Jay2, Mick Jenkins, Saba, Noname

Ravyn Lenae is a musician from Chicago. She is an R&B singer and a student at Chicago High School for the Arts, where she studies classical music. The Austin American-Statesman described her style as "a watercolor R&B platter with startling depth."

Lenae's first EP Moon Shoes (originally released as a free download in 2015, reissued in 2016 by Atlantic Records) drew praise from critics for her "fluid vocals and spare, poetic lyrics." At Libération, François Blanc also noted the "striking assurance with which the young woman changes mood without ever seeing less at ease." She released her second EP Midnight Moonlight on March 3, 2017. In Rolling Stone, Mosi Reeves said Midnight Moonlight "delves into more romantic concerns with the same quiet grace" heard on her first album in which she "sings about life as a dreamy, sometimes-melancholy teenager in a softly assertive voice."

Lenae has also appeared as a featured performer on Mick Jenkins' album The Healing Component,Noname's song "Forever" and Monte Booker's song "Baby". At Pitchfork, Ryan Dombal reviewed her performance on the latter track as "channel[ing] both Billie and Erykah on the acoustic-guitar ballad, which crackles like Lauryn Hill’s Unplugged as remixed by the ghost of Dilla." With Booker and rapper Smino, Lenae is a member of the Zero Fatigue crew, brought together by Chris "Classick" Innumerable at his recording studio Classick Studios. Lenae is also a member of underground collective Medicine Woman with Drea Smith, Via Rosa, and Jean Deaux.

Lenae was raised as a member of Pullman Christian Reformed Church on the far South Side of Chicago. Her grandfather, Richard Williams, was an immigrant from Panama and served as the pastor of the congregation from 1981 to 2010. She credits her participation in worship at the church with helping to develop her interests and abilities in music.