“I came into my own and I was able to find my voice through my writing,” says artist Ravyn Lenae. The making of her album, HYPNOS, was a four-year-long journey of blood, sweat and tears—but the result is a meticulously crafted debut, a collection of songs on which Ravyn herself has curated every element, right down to individual snares and bass lines. In this episode, the first in our three part mini-series, “The Wonders of Songwriting,” Hanif and Ravyn dig into the editing process that produced the many sonic moods and colors on HYPNOS. And, in an Object of Sound exclusive, Ravyn walks Hanif through the earlier mixes of her song, ‘Inside Out,’ and explains why this track in particular needed over 2,000 vocal recordings before it was just right. For the playlist of songs curated for this episode, including ‘Inside Out, head over to radio.sonos.com.

Music In This Week’s Episode: 
Inside Out - Ravyn Lenae
We’re So Good - Kids On A Crime Spree
Hold On - The Internet
One For the Griot - J-Live
Don’t Go Near The Water - The Beach Boys
Migratory Birds - Earth From The Moon
Let’s Pretend We’re Not In Love - The Reds, Pinks, and Purples
Tender Falls the Rain - Randy Crawford

Show Notes: 
This episode is part of our mini series, “The Wonders of Songwriting,” three special episodes on Object of Sound devoted to the art of how songs become songs. Hanif talks to artists Ravyn Lenae, Nick Hakim, and Carly Rae Jepsen to understand where their love of language comes from, how words become images become music, where the ideas begin, and how they morph as they move from the page into the intangible space of melody and vibration.

Credits:
This show is produced by work by work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Kathleen Ottinger, Rhiannon Corby, and by Hanif Abdurraqib. The show is mixed by Sam Bair. Extra gratitude to Joe Dawson and Saidah Blount at Sonos.