Ra (song)

"Ra" (stylized in all caps) is a song recorded by Romanian singer Inna, digitally released on 27 September 2018 as the lead single from her sixth studio album, Yo (2019), by Global Records. It was entirely written in Spanish by Cristina Maria Chiluiza and Inna, while Sebastian Barac, Marcel Botezan and David Ciente handled the production. A ballad, the song lyrically features a female empowerment message about leaving a toxic relationship and gaining confidence. Its sound differs significantly and acts as a departure from Inna's previous, club-oriented releases.

"Ra"
Single by Inna
from the album Yo
Released27 September 2018
Length2:55
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Inna singles chronology
"No Help"
(2018)		 "Ra"
(2018)		 "Iguana"
(2018)
Audio sample
"Ra"
  • file
  • help
Music video
"Ra" on YouTube

"Ra" was met with generally positive reviews from music critics upon its release, with a number of them pointing out its catchiness. For promotion, an accompanying, minimalistic music video was uploaded onto the singer's YouTube channel simultaneously with the digital release of the song. Filmed by Bogdan Păun, it portrays Inna and five other women posing together or individually in front of a planter wall. Inna further supported the song with live performances at the 2018 Telehit Awards and on television program Hoy in Mexico in November 2018. It peaked at number 71 on Romania's Airplay 100 ranking.

Background and composition

On 16 October 2018, Inna released a video on her YouTube channel in which she teased her upcoming sixth studio album Yo by briefly elaborating on its creation; in the description of the clip, Inna announced that the first single from the record would be released on 2 November 2018.[1][2] She eventually confirmed the aforementioned during a social media post and revealed the single's name to be "Ra".[3] Leaked beforehand,[2] "Ra" was digitally made available on the announced date by Roc Nation internationally, with the title stylized in caps for the international release,[4] but released on 27 September 2018 by Global Records in Romania.[5] Two remixes were also released for purchase.[6]

Written entirely in Spanish by Cristina Maria Chiluiza and Inna,[7][8] "Ra" lyrically features a female empowerment message about leaving a toxic relationship and gaining confidence.[8] This is a topic that Inna rarely addressed in her previous work.[9] The track's title alludes to the ancient Egyptian deity of the sun Ra, symbolizing "the light and the truth".[10] The song was produced and engineered by Sebastian Barac, Marcel Botezan and David Ciente, while Max Kissaru mixed and mastered it.[7] Musically, "Ra" is a ballad, and a departure from Inna's club sound, a "whole new era" according to Jonathan Currinn from website CelebMix.[9] Mike Wass, writing for Idolator, noted that it "represents an important step in the 'Hot' hitmaker's journey from Hi-NRG club queen to a more mature, well-rounded artist".[11] In the song's refrain, Inna repeats the phrase "Yo mejor me voy" (I better go).[9]

Reception

Upon its release, "Ra" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Currinn of CelebMix opined that it "feels more like an album track rather than an actual single", and suggested it to have been released as a promotional single from Yo. He further acknowledged that "Ra" is "a grower of a song and one that will get stuck in one's head, over time", and also praised the track's touching message, the songwriting and Inna's vocal delivery.[9] Idolator's Wass noted the catchiness of "Ra", naming it an "anthem" and a "hypnotic bop".[11] Billboard included "Ra" in their Best Music Picks Of the Week list for the week ending 4 November 2018.[12] Commercially, the song peaked at number 71 on Romania's Airplay 100 for the week ending 2 December 2018.[13]

Promotion and other usage

Inna teased the accompanying music video for "Ra" with two previews posted to her YouTube channel on 31 October and 1 November 2018, respectively.[14][15] The visual was ultimately premiered simultaneously with the single's release on YouTube;[7] it features Inna—wearing a black bra and top by Luisa Via Roma—and five fellow women—sporting orange bras—variating from posing together to individually posing in front of a planter wall.[7][16] NGM Creative's Bogdan Păun directed the clip, while Alexandru Mureșan was hired as the director of photography and Loops Production as the producers.[8] Andra Manea was credited as the make-up artist, Sorin Stratulat as the hair stylist, and RD Styling as the clothes procurers.[16] A video showing the making of "Ra" was released online on 27 November 2018.[17]

Billboard noticed the connection between the song's lyrics and the video, as Inna "stands strong in the visual. It reaffirms the importance of having a voice, especially as a woman".[12] Currinn of CelebMix likened the music video's message to that of Inna's track "No Help" (2018),[9] while Idolator saw it as "striking" and "minimalist".[11] For further promotion of "Ra", Inna delivered a live performance of the song at the 2018 Telehit Awards in Mexico City on 7 November,[18] and performed it on Mexican television daily morning program Hoy on 8 November 2018,[19] among other endeavours in Mexico.[20] On 2 December 2018, Romanian band Noaptea Târziu released a parody of "Ra" titled "Am ghinion" ("I have bad luck").[21]

Track listing
  • Digital download[4]
  1. "Ra" – 2:55

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from YouTube.[7]

  • Inna – lead vocals, songwriter
  • Sebastian Barac – producer, engineer
  • Marcel Botezan – producer, engineer
  • Cristina Maria Chiluiza – songwriter
  • David Ciente – producer, engineer
  • Max Kissaru – mixing and mastering

Charts
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Romania (Airplay 100)[13] 71

Release history
Country Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Romania 27 September 2018 Digital download Global
[5]
Various 2 November 2018 Roc Nation
[4]

References
  1. "Inna – Yo". YouTube. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  2. Currinn, Jonathan (24 October 2018). "Inna Teases New Album "Yo" By Dropping a Video Where She Talks About the LP". CelebMix. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  3. "#Ra out on 2nd of November". Twitter. 30 October 2018. Archived from the original on 1 November 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  4. Citations regarding the digital release of "Ra" in various countries:
  5. "Ra – Single by Inna on iTunes". iTunes Store. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  6. Currinn, Jonathan (27 November 2018). "Inna Releases Teaser of New Music Video "Iguana", Three New Remixes For "Ra" And "No Help", And A Making Of Video Of "Ra"". CelebMix. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  7. "Inna – Ra | Official Music Video". YouTube. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018. Note: Open description for credits.
  8. "Inna lansează "Ra", prima piesă de pe noul album "Yo"" [Inna releases "Ra", the first single off her new album "Yo"] (in Romanian). Libertatea. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  9. Currinn, Jonathan (6 November 2018). "Inna Releases New Single & Music Video "Ra" Through Roc Nation & Global Records". CelebMix. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  10. "Inna lanzará disco completamente en español" [Inna releases studio album completely in Spanish] (in Spanish). Las Estrellas. 7 November 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018 – via YouTube.
  11. Wass, Mike (6 November 2018). "Inna Returns With "Ra", the Lead Single from Spanish LP "Yo"". Idolator. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  12. "Viva Friday: Best Music Picks Of the Week by Karol G, Maluma and More". Billboard. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  13. Arvunescu, Victor (2 December 2018). "Top Airplay 100 – Început de decembrie pe ritm djadja!" [Top Airplay 100 – December kicks off in djadja rhythms!] (in Romanian). Un site de muzică. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  14. "Inna – Ra | Teaser". YouTube. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  15. "Inna – Ra (Testimonio)". YouTube. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  16. Huntai, Dorin (2 November 2018). "Muzica Inna lansează "Ra", prima piesă de pe noul album "Yo" compus în totalitate de artistă în limba spaniolă" [Inna releases "Ra", the first single from her new album "Yo" entirely composed in Spanish by her] (in Romanian). Radar de Media. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  17. "Inna – Ra | Making Of". YouTube. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  18. "Inna lanza el video de su nuevo sencillo: "Ra"" [Inna releases the video for her newest single: "Ra"] (in Spanish). Los 40 Principales Colombia. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  19. "Inna - Ra | Live at Programa Hoy, México". YouTube. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  20. "Ce legatura exista intre Inna si Pablo Escobar?" [What connection is there between Inna and Pablo Escobar?] (in Romanian). Cancan. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  21. "Am ghinion #NoapteaTârziu (Cover amuzant Inna – Ra)". YouTube. 2 December 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
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