Cloud Ray just released his latest single- Burn It Down and it already has over 20,000 plays on spotify. He’s clearly out to conquer the world. The track is a sizzling blend of pop and reggae, when I tell you that the vibes are immaculate, you must trust me! Every second is a step into a party island where you leave the real world behind and all you have is a technicolored world.

Can you share the inspiration behind your new song “Burn It Down” and how it relates to your personal experiences or emotions?

What inspired me to write “Burn It Down” was the nostalgic feeling I received from listening to the production. It took me back to a time when artists like Sean Paul, Kevin Lyttle, Vybez Kartel, and Rupee dominated playlists at backyard barbeques, parties, and even on boardwalks. Those experiences have really lessened over the past few years due to the pandemic, and I wanted to breathe life and energy back into these culturally important moments with “Burn It Down” as more people are coming back outside for the good weather.

The trade of the Craftsman- Cloud Ray

The feel-good energy of the song is truly irresistible. As the beats enters your ear, it drops straight to your hips and before you know it, your hips have a mind of its own. Ray must have had magic at the tips of his fingers as he wrote the song. This is because he successfully takes us to a whole new place by the beach with this number.

Could you walk us through the creative process behind the songwriting of “Burn It Down”?

The creative process behind the songwriting of “Burn It Down” begins with my producer Treadway showing me multiple songs that he had in his vault, and this one track, in particular, stood out to me dramatically. He explained to me the track was unfinished, but I believed it was ready to go. I took the track and brought it back to him two days later with lyrics and a demo for him to listen to.

I started writing the song with the chorus and felt eager to attack sexy yet rhythmic melodies that connected with my Caribbean roots. When I originally brought the song back to Treadway to listen to, I sang throughout the whole song, from each verse to the chorus. Treadway suggested to me that it didn’t feel like a Cloud Ray song and recommended I incorporate more hip-hop into it. This led me to change the lyrics around in both verses, and the final product became more rap-influenced in both parts of the song.   

The journey of the song

Were there any specific challenges you faced while either writing or recording the song?

Some of the challenges I faced while writing and recording the song were meeting deadlines. There are so many things in life that we don’t have control over, and sometimes we just have to submit to them while ensuring we do the best we can on our end. Organization is key to ensuring that deadlines are kept and met to reach your ultimate goal. Even though delays may occur, never stop pushing to reach your goal, even if the process of getting it done doesn’t go how you expected it would.

The Pro in Production

The production on this track is truly immaculate. You hear Ray’s voice take over the world here. You also hear just how much character the instrumentals add to the song to a large extent as well. Showing us the technique that is required to write the perfect song, much like Burn It Down.

Many listeners interpret songs differently. What do you hope listeners will take away from “Burn It Down”?

I hope the listeners will feel this song’s energy and allow it to permeate throughout their lives. For example, if you are listening to this song and you feel like dancing, just do it! Be like Nike! I hope whether my listeners are in good weather for a season or year-round, “Burn It Down” becomes a go-to song that uplifts and unifies gatherings of people.  

Collaboration can often enrich creative work. Is there any such collaboration that has stayed with you? Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?

“Burn It Down” has been my most prominent collaboration. It is a collaborative work between myself, Treadway, and Daniel Thomas. Both of whom are extremely talented producers and musicians. In the future, I would love to collaborate with Tems. I also see myself collaborating with Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, and J. Cole.

The two Ls- Listeners and Love for Cloud Ray   

The track clearly has a connection with the listeners. Cloud Ray is the performer of our time. He creates and holds a high-energy track for the entire time you are plugged in. You can’t look away from this gem that he has given us. The track plops you at the the heart of a celebration and it is positive energy that surrounds your senses.

In the music industry, visuals and storytelling are somewhat crucial to a song’s impact. How do you plan to integrate visuals, such as music videos or live performances, to enhance the audience’s connection to “Burn It Down”?

Visuals and storytelling are absolutely crucial to a song’s impact in this industry because they will take you as a listener and a viewer from point “A“ to point “Z” in an artist’s musical journey. When I perform “Burn It Down” live, you can expect me to perform with a live band to emphasize the already grand Soca feeling in the studio track. You can also expect to see live dancers that entice you to take part in the cultural Caribbean dances. As far as a music video is concerned, it has already been requested by many, so you may see a “Burn It Down” visual coming soon to your most favoured streaming platforms. 

What does the future hold?   

What’s in store next? Is this, perhaps, the start of a new album?

In the near future, I am preparing for a year’s worth of music releases, lots of content, and multiple upcoming tours. You can definitely expect to see Cloud Ray around the United States, and just over the horizon, I may be dropping another body of work. Make sure you stay tuned into my website, cloudraymusic.com, where you can subscribe for the most exclusive content and the latest updates from me!

The track is filled to the brim with personality Much like Girl’s Trip. You can imagine the song playing as the girls are partying in New Orleans. The track is top-notch with its impeccable production and A-grade lyrics and performance by Cloud Ray. It is dynamic, exciting and most importantly and for sure chart topper. Ray is out there creating more such songs by the end of the year. So let him ignite the party fire within you, all you gotta do is press the play button and follow the links attached above.