"Escapism" is a song by British singer and songwriter
Raye featuring American rapper
070 Shake. It was released independently on 12 October 2022 as the third single from her debut album My 21st Century Blues (2023) as a
double A-side with "The Thrill Is Gone".[4][5] It was co-written by Raye, 070 Shake and
Mike Sabath, with Sabath handling production. "Escapism" is an uptempo
R&B,
electropop and
hip hop song with lyrics speaking of escaping from reality and dealing with heartbreak.
"Escapism" is considered as Raye's breakout single as a solo artist. It gained attraction on
TikTok in 2022 and became her first number-one single in the UK and has been certified platinum by the
BPI. It also topped the charts in Ireland, and Denmark and entered the top ten of the charts in over twenty countries. It has been certified gold, platinum or higher in over twelfth regions. It became both Raye's and 070 Shake's first song to chart on the US
Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 22.
The song's accompanying music video, directed by Raye and Otis Dominique, depicts the singer turning to "partying, drinking and drugs to escape her emotions and numb her feelings" after breaking up with her boyfriend. It won "Best Social Trended Song" at the
Global Awards, "Best Contemporary Song" at the
Ivor Novello Awards, and was nominated for "Best Independent Track" and "Best Independent Video" at the
AIM Independent Music Awards. It also received a nomination for "Best British Pop Single" at the
Popjustice £20 Music Award Show. In 2024, it won for "Song of the Year" at the
Brit Awards 2024.[6]
Composition and lyrics
"Escapism" incorporates
trip hop in its production.[7] Raye stated that she "love[s] how rebellious" "Escapism" is for disregarding "the standard" of "pop music structure", particularly being "longer than three minutes and twenty seconds".[5]
The song depicts Raye in a post-breakup spree of unhealthy coping mechanisms, engaging in hookups, drugs, and alcohol.[8] Raye explained that the song is about escaping from reality and dealing with heartbreak.[7][9] In an interview with Clash, Raye revealed that she wrote the song in a log cabin in
Utah: "Me and a friend hired a car, and drove up there, in the middle of winter, through the snow and everything! 'Escapism' is a story about running away from everything as fast as you can. The lyrics are about just leaving everyone on read, and going out on your own. It came from a messy time, but as humans, we just have to keep surviving!"[10]
The song is written in the key of
E minor with a key change to
C minor and a tempo of 100 beats per minute.[11]
Critical reception
Amit Vaidya of Rolling Stone India named "Escapism" one of the Best International Songs of 2022. They added how "Escapism" showcases Raye's "journey to achieving her musical freedom", and how "Escapism" "perfectly captures the angst and the aura of the singer – a vocal shape-shifter who now is the boss and we just love it!"[6]
"Escapism" won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song at The Ivors in London on Thursday 18th May 2023.[12]
After going viral on
TikTok, "Escapism" charted on the
UK Singles Chart at number 31 on 25 November 2022, which marked 070 Shake's first entry on the chart.[16] The feat marked the singer's first charting solo single since Raye became an independent artist in 2021. The following week, the song ascended to number six, becoming Raye's first single as a solo artist to reach the top ten in the UK.[5] On 9 December, "Escapism" climbed to number two, becoming Raye's highest-charting single to date, passing her collaborations "
You Don't Know Me" with
Jax Jones (2016) and "
Bed" with
Joel Corry and
David Guetta (2021).[16] Following the Christmas period, "Escapism" ascended to number one on the UK Singles Chart in January 2023, marking both Raye and 070 Shake's first chart-topping single of their careers.[17]
In the United States, "Escapism" became both artists' first song to chart on the
Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 22.[18] In Canada, "Escapism" became Raye's first charting single as a lead artist of her career on the
Canadian Hot 100, peaking at number nine on the chart dated 21 January 2023.[19]
Music video
A
music video for the song was released on 9 November 2022,[8] directed by Raye and Otis Dominique. It reflects the song's lyrics, with Raye turning to "partying, drinking and drugs to escape her emotions and numb her feelings" after breaking up with her boyfriend. The video makes use of point-of-view cameras.[8] In an interview with Shots, Raye mentioned "we worked really hard to create an honest depiction of where I was at that time in my life. It was fun and wild. We shot it over a couple of days and wore point-of-view cameras during a wild night out at many different clubs. I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone and I ran 150 meters in 5-inch heels. We really took it there!"[20]
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ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 20234 into search. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
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ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 202314 into search. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
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ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 20232 into search. Retrieved 16 January 2022.