Toronto’s Ralph Unveils Introspective New Single, “Pain Relief”
Today, queer pop artist Ralph shares the introspective single “Pain Relief”. The tender track is a bravely authentic glimpse into Ralph’s struggle with jealousy and toxic comparison. Through her vulnerable candor, Ralph finds healing, realizing that “envy is empty”. “Pain Relief” is Ralph’s love letter to herself as she gives herself comfort and grace to find contentment from the inside out. “Pain Relief” is the second single from Ralph’s forthcoming 222 EP (June 30th).
Gentle chime-like synths form the heart of “Pain Relief”’s minimalist production, giving the track a soothing, tranquil tone. Ralph’s vocals are solid and reassuring, enveloping the listener in the sonic equivalent of a warm quilt. As Ralph croons the refrain, “break up with my bitterness”, the track moves smoothly into a gentle drop, buoyed by mellow percussion that adds to the feeling of hope and healing.
The accompanying music video was both directed and edited by Ralph and created by an entirely female cast and crew. The lush clip is brimming with feminine energy, making use of a calming pastel color palette and peaceful nature locations. Ralph is joined by an eclectic mix of women who sing, dance, and flourish alongside her first as individuals and then together as a group. The “Pain Relief” video celebrates individuality and uniqueness while still emphasizing the beauty and importance of collaboration, acceptance, and teamwork amongst women.
Ralph says this of the new single + video:
“I wrote ‘Pain Relief’ in LA with my friend Rutger, I told him I wanted to write a break up song…about breaking up with myself. I went through a couple dark months where I was really consumed with self-pity and jealousy towards other women in music – I was so mad at anyone experiencing success and it felt better to be bitter than to be sad. Pretty soon I realized that being bitter was making me feel terrible, and after some very honest convos with pals in music, I realized a lot of artists were experiencing the same emotions. I wanted to reflect all this in the music video, so it was really important to me that I write, direct and edit it. I worked with an entirely female cast and crew and at the end of the day, we all went naked swimming in the ocean – it was magical and connective and exactly what I want viewers to experience when they watch the video.”
“Pain Relief” comes hot on the heels of Ralph’s March release “Scary Hot”. On the track, Ralph teamed up with Devon Cole and Goldchain to create a perfect piece of pop perfection. Saucy, sexy, and delightfully racy, “Scary Hot” is like a sonic soft drink, frothing over with flirty fun.