Arum Rae
Smoky, nocturnal pop that pairs the ghost of jazz standards with heavy electronic beats. Soulful, minimalist, and perfectly suited for the hours after midnight.
Smoky, nocturnal pop that pairs the ghost of jazz standards with heavy electronic beats. Soulful, minimalist, and perfectly suited for the hours after midnight.
Arum Rae sounds like the intersection of a classic 1940s jazz club and a modern Brooklyn bedroom studio. Her music is defined by a heavy, nocturnal pulse that feels both ancient and contemporary. The foundation is often a sparse, skeletal beat or a lonely electric guitar, over which she layers a voice that carries the weight and phrasing of Nina Simone but filtered through modern processing. It is music that exists in the shadows, favoring mood and atmosphere over bright pop hooks.
What makes her truly distinctive is the way she uses technology to enhance emotional vulnerability rather than hide it. While many artists use auto-tune for a robotic effect, Rae uses it to create a haunting, liquid soul sound that feels like it's melting into the production. Her songs often feel like short, intense vignettes; they are brief, powerful explorations of longing, independence, and the quiet grit of city life. The production is intentionally spacious, leaving room for her smoky delivery to breathe.
Start with the 'Loners' EP to hear her at her most focused. It perfectly captures her ability to blend bluesy grit with electronic sophistication. From there, 'Warranted Queen' offers a deeper look into her songwriting range. It is the ideal soundtrack for anyone who wants music that feels like a secret shared in a dark room.
Arum Rae (Latin for waterlily) is an American singer-songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York. Her full birth name is Arum Rae Valkonen (valkoinen means "white" in Finnish) and she was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her sound is heavily influenced by jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone. Her style blends heavy, nocturnal beats with auto-tuned soul singing. Arum began performing by driving up to three hours from Virginia to play at various open mics in Washington, D.C., and Frederick, Maryland, which would then open the door for her to return as an opener, and finally performing as the headlining act. Arum now resides in New York City.
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Shares neo-soul, candlelit, dusk, indie pop (subgenre)
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