Raury’s hands are trembling to a small degree. Still, the 17-year-old singer's ambition is tenacious, like his talent.
When visiting the Billboard New York office on Friday (Feb. 28), along with his management (LoveRenaissance) and marketing (GFCnewyork) teams, it's visible that the new artist from Atlanta is nervous but it's not long before he opens up and shares about himself, prepping everyone for a wave of enthusiasm.
Inspired by a range of soundscapes from artists including Bon Iver, Andre 3000, Coldplay, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins and Kid Cudi (whose work such as 'Man on the Moon' series helped him gain confidence through its "loner kid perspective"), Raury’s been nourishing his craft of singing, songwriting and production since the age of nine. "Growing up, I always had music in the back of my mind, before I even knew what it was. By the time I was nine, my friend and I would talk about what we were going to do and my life purpose," he says. A life purpose that's evolved from getting "money so I can have all the girls" to "living a fearless life."
What distinguishes Raury from others lies in the marriage between his utopian songwriting and guitar-driven melodies, the majority of which he produced. Check out Raury's first single, "God's Whisper," premiered exclusively here on The Juice.