Hard Out Here (song)

* Single
* Live

**"Hard Out Here"** (stylized with a full stop at the end) is the lead single and third track on RAYE's debut studio album, My 21st Century Blues. The single was released on June 30, 2022, independently and distributed by Human Re Sources.

After seven years of not being able to release music that Keen felt truly herself and almost a year after parting ways with Polydor Records and becoming an independent artist, the British singer announced the release of the track through all over her social media, saying: "After 7 years stuck in the system, I am ready to welcome you to a new chapter. As an independent artist, my story unfiltered and without fear or compromise. Hard Out Here 🤬🚨🔞."

On October 16, 2023, the live version of this song was released as the third track on RAYE's live album, My 21st Century Symphony., performed with The Heritage Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall on September 26, 2023.

## Background

This song talks about the music industry, unapologetically taking shots at her old label, the patriarchy, and toxic masculinity.

On the Spotify Storyline for the song, the British singer revealed which was the purpose of the track by saying:

“*A song I created about being suppressed, mistreated, silenced, ridiculed, slept on, laughed at. I wanted to be raw and explicit and honest about how I have felt dealing with hardships in silence across my life, to remind myself and whoever might need to hear it, that we will bounce back*”
―via Spotify Storyline

She later expanded her thoughts on the track while breaking down the meaning for the whole record for Apple Music.

“*When the story or feeling is burning at my chest, it has to force its way out. It was just rage and pain flowing out. For the line about CEOs and white privilege [‘All the white men CEOs, fuck your privilege/Get your pink chubby hands off my mouth/Fuck you think this is?’], my engineer turned and looked at me, but I was like, ‘Yeah, we’re going there!’ This song was me promising myself that I will bounce back. It’s hard to put the story of what I’ve been through into words because it’s so much over so long. In my opinion, I really did such a good job of holding it down and in. Some of the things that were said and the way I was emotionally manipulated, it’s so dark. Coming out the other side of it, I just needed to remind myself that I will bounce back.*”
―via Apple Music

On the inspiration behind the single, RAYE shares:
“I was very angry and in a lot of pain when the bones of this song were solidified but I wrote this song because I needed this song, This song is about the bounce back, a rant reflecting on the last 8 years of my career, and me preparing to take control of my narrative, my art and my life truly for the first time.”

The first version of this song was created when RAYE was 19, but she wasn’t given permission to release it, so it had just sat in a folder collecting dust. However, she shared that no less than a week after RAYE parted ways with Polydor she got on the microphone with rage in her chest and vented it out in one sitting, adding: “This isn’t about chasing chart hits anymore, this is about finally being allowed to articulate my truth, and express myself fearlessly.”

## Music Video

The visual accompany for the track was shot Henry VIII’s old hunting lodge, who was "notorious for his disrespect toward women" in words from the British artist. The King of England has been well-known for being married six times and killing two of his wives, accusing one of them of adultery (Anne Boleyn) and the other of having affairs before their marriage as well as the same reason from Boleyn (Catherine Howard).

In order to use her art as a protest to the injustices that women have to go through just for being themselves, RAYE thought the building was the perfect place to make the video. On an interview with *Consequence Sound*, she said:

“*This man was renowned for his disrespect and disregard of women in history. He even beheaded two of his wives and changed the religion of the entire country to suit his desires. It is the pinnacle demonstration of everything I want to protest — the opposite of which is why I left like it was the perfect location.*”
―via Consequence Sound
On the artist's own words this video marks the end of her "being a nice polite pop star". This is in part shown at the end of the music video when Keen takes off her wig representing a newfound liberation. "Me taking off my wig at the end is me saying I’m no longer satisfied with pretending. I’m no longer willing to compromise my voice and who I am, because I have purpose. And while that may not fit in the boxes that I was bound to, it is more than good enough", she adds.

The visual premiered on July 1, 2022.

## Lyrics

After years and fears and smiling through my tears

All I ask of you is open your ears

'Cause the truth ain't pretty, my dear

It's been dark, been hard out

Uh

On my way, figured a way, figured a way out

My pen is a gun, pen is a gun, I'm finna spray now

He said I was out, said I was done, look at his face now

Hmm, hmm, uh

Tell them boys, feeling them boys, meet at the steak house

I been a mess, I'm in a dress and I got my cakes out

Sleeping on her, sleeping on me, I'm in your face now

Hmm, no, no, no, no, no

What do you know about hustling?

As a young girl (young girl) in the dungeons (dungeons)

What you know about making amends?

With the devils in your face you must pretend, uh

CR0, I'm from ends but I'm an actor

Smile in your face, all of the pricks, all of the wankers

I had to chill, smoke it away, manage my anger

Ooh, what you know about systems?

About drugged drinks, fucking nearly dying from addictions

You start wonder why I'm Christian

Without the Lord, I'd take my life for all the times I've been a victim

Ooh, no weapon formed against me shall ever prosper

Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back

Baby, I bounce back (bounce, bounce, bounce back)

Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back

Hmm, no weapon formed against me shall ever prosper

Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back

Baby, I bounce back (bounce, bounce, bounce back)

Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back

No weapon formed against me shall ever prosper

All the white men CEOs, fuck your privilege

Get your pink chubby hands off my mouth, fuck you think this is?

I told my lawyer stand by (war), there is no wrath like a women scorned

Uh, now I bet you wish

Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back

Devil's a lie, I am the guy, call me the Conrad

I been too nice, triple the price, pay me the whole bag

These motherfuckers cheatin' on me, am I a wag? Never again

Top a the day, top a the day, top a the day to you

This LP's full of the shit I'm gonna say to you, ooh

See how I flow when I'm in pain, I'm gonna pray for you

Then I'm a aim for you, and it's a shame for you, shame for you

Oh yeah

What you know about violence? I'm on smoke now

Babe, I think it's time to cut the violins

Can't see you, I'm looking at the inside of my eyelids

I'll never stop fighting, all in Gods timing

Timing

And I'm about to have these grown men crying

You wasn't trying, you was sitting on diamonds, mmm

You gon' have to see me now, I'm shining, hyped up, blinding

Very fucking frightening, all these lies, now I see it so clear

See for girls like me from the bottom of the tier

Believe that it's always been hard out here

Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back

Baby, I bounce back (bounce, bounce, bounce back)

Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back

Hmm, no weapon formed against me shall ever prosper

Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back

Baby, I bounce back (bounce, bounce, bounce back)

Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back

Hmm, no weapon formed against me shall ever prosper

### Live at Royal Albert Hall recording

After years and fears and smiling through my tears

All I ask of you is open your ears

'Cause the truth ain't pretty my dear

It's been dark, been hard out–

Uh

On my way, figured a way, figured a way out

My pen is a gun, pen is a gun, I'm finna spray now

He said I was out, said I was done, look at his face now

Hm, hm, ah, uh, ah, uh

Tell them boys, feeling them boys, meet at the stake house

I been a mess, so I'm in a dress and I got my cakes out

Sleeping on her, sleeping on me, I'm in your face now

No, no, no, no, no

What you know about hustling?

As a young girl (Young girl) in the dungeons (The dungeons)

What you know about making amends?

With the devils in your face you must pretend

Ah

CR0, I'm from the ends but I'm a actor

Smile in your facе all of the pricks, all of the wankers

I had to chill, smokе it away, manage my anger

Ooh, what you know about systems?

About drugged drinks, fucking nearly dying from addictions

You start to wonder why I'm Christian

Without the Lord, I'd take my life for all the times I've been a victim

Oh, no weapon formed against me shall (Ever prosper)

Hey!

(Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back)

Baby, I bounce back (Bounce back)

Baby, I bounce (Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back)

Hm, no weapon formed against me shall ever (Prosper)

Sing it!

(Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back)

Baby, I bounce back (Bounce back)

Baby, I bounce, mmh (Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back)

No weapon formed against me shall ever (Prosper)

All the white men CEOs (Fuck your privilege)

Get your pink chubby hands of my mouth

(Fuck you think this is?)

I told my lawyer stand by (War), there is no wrath like a woman scorned

Uh, now I bet you wish

Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back

Devil's a liar, I am the guy, call me the Conrad

I been too nice, triple the price, pay me the whole bag

These motherfuckers cheatin' on me, am I a wag? Never again

Top of the day, top of the day, top of the day to you

This LP's full of the shit I'm gonna say to you, ooh

See how I flow when I'm in pain, I'm gonna pray for you

Then I'ma aim for you, and it's a shame for you, da-da

Oh, no

What you know about violence? I'm on smoke now

Babe, I think it's time to cut the violins

Can't see you, I'm looking at the inside of my eyelids

I'll never stop fighting, all in God's timing

I'm about to have these grown men crying

You wasn't trying, you was sitting on diamonds

But you gon' have to see me now, I'm shining, hyped up, blinding

Very fucking frightening, all these lies, now I see it so clear

See for girls like me from the bottom of the tier

Believe that it’s always been hard out

Can I see some hands? Hey!

(Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back)

Baby, I bounce back (Bounce back)

Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce

(Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back)

No weapon formed against me shall ever (Prosper)

(Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back)

(Bounce back)

Baby, I bounce back, yeah

(Baby, I bounce, baby, I bounce back)

No weapon formed against me shall ever (Prosper)

## Personnel and credits

Taken from the My 21st Century Blues CD booklet:

* Written By: Raye, Mike Sabath, Justin Tranter and Brandon Colbein
* Produced By: Mike Sabath
* Vocals: Raye
* Main Engineer: Mike Sabath
* Engineer: Chad Gordon
* Vocal Engineer: Jenna Felsenthal
* Drums and Synths: Mike Sabath
* Strings: Jacob Braun and Charlie Bisharat
* String Arrangement: Mike Sabath

## Trivia

* It is her first release as an independent artist with Human Re Sources.

## References

1. ↑  RAYE on Instagram. "𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏: 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦, 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐀𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞.
𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 🤬🚨🔞". Retrieved June 20, 2022.
2. ↑ "Hard Out Here." by RAYE on Spotify.
3. ↑ "My 21st Century Blues" by RAYE on Apple Music.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Mary Siroky. "RAYE Shares Origins of New Track “Hard Out Here”: Exclusive". *Consequence Sound*. July 1, 2022.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Tomás Mier. "Raye Is ‘Done Being a Nice Polite Pop Star’ as She Debuts Unapologetic Comeback". *Rolling Stone*. July 1, 2022.
6. ↑ HENRY VIII: RENAISSANCE PRINCE OR TERRIBLE TUDOR? WHO WAS THE REAL HENRY VIII?. *Historic Royal Palaces*.
7. ↑ Henry VIII: king of England. *Britannica*.
8. ↑ "RAYE - Hard Out Here". *Youtube*. July 1, 2022.