[Album] Journey – Naomi Raine

Cogito July 8, 2022 3 min read 0

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In the past year, Naomi Raine has taken a leading role in the GRAMMY Award-winning collective Maverick City Music. Today (7.8), she releases her solo album ‘Journey’ via TRIBL Records. Across 15 songs produced by Raine with G. Morris Coleman, and seven intimate “car chat” recordings, the album dives into Raine’s life journey through the ebbs and flows of marriage, motherhood, mental health and more. Through her most vulnerable and personal songwriting yet, Raine embraces life’s discomfort and finds acceptance in every stage of her journey.

Listen to ‘Journey,’ here: orcd.co/nrjourney

“’Journey’ is finally here,” says Raine. “I’ve been working on this project for some time and it really is an expression of my heart — the processing, the discovery, the growth, creativity and collaboration through song. This is such a vulnerable project for me, and I’m grateful to share it with the world. My hope is that anybody who hears these songs will get the courage to love, live and be free from the fear that holds us back from living apologetically and inauthentically.”

Raine, a GRAMMY, Billboard Music, Dove and Stellar Award-winning artist, has always felt a calling to music, performing since the age of two. Throughout her life, it has served as a coping mechanism. ‘Journey’ explores trauma from her past, while offering optimism and hope for moving past it. She began writing these songs in the aftermath of a miscarriage and in the midst of attending marriage therapy after her 2020 tour was canceled due to COVID. Nearly all 22 tracks are self penned, with a few written alongside Adale Jackson, co-producer G Morris Coleman, Gary Coach, Kayla Thompson, Taylor Drevan Hill and Tywan Mack.

“Hold On” is an anthem of strength to fight for yourself and each other during the hardest moments in life, while “Good Story” equally honors the beautiful and broken parts of a relationship. “World On Fire” reflects on a seemingly endless stream of tragic headlines that have covered the news these past few years, while “Won One” is an positive, upbeat anthem about keeping your head up. She confronts the consequences of bottling up feelings on “Still Alone,” and then finds freedom to put herself first on “Choosing Myself.” Raine closes the album with “Merrily,” a song that finds joy in the craziness of life and “Brand New,” which confirms the security she has as a result of her faith.

The album is sprinkled with “car chats” that she recorded while driving. In these intimate recordings, she talks about surrendering self-dependence, the heart’s uncertainties, staying strong through tribulations, hard goodbyes, self-discovery in the midst of pandemic-induced isolation, sacrifices and more.

Raine recently performed at the 2022 Essence Festival in New Orleans and has made appearances at the BET Awards, The TODAY Show and The View with Maverick City Music who she is currently on tour with. For more information, visit naomirainemusic.com.