Ravyn Lenae Breaks New Ground on Blue Island
Luca Cassese
Writer
August 11, 2026
Established R&B singer-songwriter Ravyn Lenae’s genre-bending third studio album, Blue Island, was released, weaving together elements of psychedelic funk, indie rock, and a hint of pop grunge in her most memorable release to date.
In the two years since her breakout record, “Love Me Not,” Ravyn has been featured as the opening act for both Reneé Rapp and Sabrina Carpenter throughout their nationwide tours. Anyone in attendance for these shows undoubtedly left as a bigger fan of Lenae than they were before. Many cited that her performance was one of the highlights of the entire night.
These performances were key in exposing Lenae to a new audience. Rapp and Carpenter are currently two of the most popular female pop artists in the world. Even though Lenae is mainly an R&B artist, this all but confirmed that her next album would feature more pop elements.
The album is supported by lead singles like Bobby, Saturday Night, and the intro track, Handle. It starts off the album with an ear-catching melody detailing Ravyn’s relationship with love, comparing it to a landslide. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Lenae explains her attempt to dive into a new sound, “even if [she’s] just twisting the knob slightly to the left.”
Another early track, Never Let Me Go, details Lenae not wanting someone close to her to let her go. It ends with a heartfelt conversation between her and her Papo, where they check in on one another and discuss her album.
Three key collaborators played a huge role in elevating Lenae’s image throughout Blue Island. Two years ago, Dahi played a key role in creating the aforementioned hit, Love Me Not. His work as executive producer for her previous album, Bird’s Eye, led to his return to do the same for the new album with one goal in mind: work his magic for Lenae’s next release. His presence is felt throughout the entirety of the 48-minute runtime, with each track offering something new to the table. Despite this, the tracks feel like they’re all a part of the same thematic family.
The other two key collaborators come in the form of two-time Grammy Award winner Doechii and Grammy-nominated singer Dominik Fike. The two stars are the only features on the album and complement Ravyn wonderfully.
On the track Reputation, Fike and Lenae go back and forth as distant lovers who aren’t yet ready to let go of one another. Doechii brings out the similarities the two have shared in their rise to fame on Babygirl. She expresses the parallels between the risks they have both taken to get to where they are now.
Ravyn Lenae strategically capitalizes on the hype of her recent breakthrough, proving she is not a one-hit wonder, backing it with an album with a sound that strongly builds off of her previous projects.
Edited by: Stephanie Rodriguez
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