Grammy-nominated vocalist Debo Ray releases new EP detailing her mental health struggles and triumphs. Singer to perform music with band at The Fallout Shelter.
BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, May 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Grammy-nominated vocalist extraordinaire Debo Ray announces the release of her 4-song EP entitled Echoes and Embers on May 22nd, 2026. The songs form a narrative arc which deals with Debo’s mental health struggles, its effects on her life and her determination to come out the other side. Her music has been described as “genre-bending contemporary r&b” and shows Ray’s unique versatility as a vocalist and songwriter. The EP follows her critically acclaimed, self-titled debut album. Both records were produced by Grammy-winning engineer/producer Prince Charles Alexander.
The singer has released three of the four tracks on the EP individually. The lead track, Going Down, deals with her depression and how it affected her relationships. It features a moody, almost dreamy, contemplative vibe leading to a cathartic, rock-inspired chorus marked by Debo’s intensity and vocal prowess. The second track, Real Good Girl, speaks to her strict upbringing where she was taught to bury her feelings in order to conform. The song has a plaintive, yearning feel and musically shows the diverse palette of sounds the singer is known for. The third track, A Flicker, shows Ray to be realizing her self-worth and seeing sparks of her promise. The song contains strong jazzy elements with a hopeful theme and a bounce in her step. The final track, I’m Fire Now, to be released on May 22nd with the EP, shows Ray at the peak of her powers with a defiant attitude expressed in a strong dance/funk groove with an irresistible chorus.
About the EP, Ray said, “It’s about the struggle to reclaim ourselves with the necessary balance of strength, grace, and hope. I’m hoping it will be relatable and useful to others as well as enjoyable to listen to.” The singer decided to write about her mental health struggles after having them kept mostly secret for much of her life. “I hope it will connect with others in similar straights,” she said, “but it’s also a metaphor for life and the struggles we all deal with no matter who we are and what we’re experiencing”.
The songs on the EP were written by Ray and her co-writers, Jerry Velona and producer Prince Charles Alexander and recorded at Dimension Sound in Jamaica Plain, MA with engineer Dan Cardinal. About Ray, Alexander said, “I’ve worked with a lot of great vocalists from Mary J. Blige to Aretha Franklin. I was thrilled to be invited as a team member for Debo Ray’s new music project and have never had a more pleasurable and musical experience in my career. She has it all!”
Ray is known as one of today’s most versatile vocalists. Her professional resume includes styles as diverse as jazz, metal, hip hop, opera, rock and soul. She was nominated for a Grammy in 2022 for her role in NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington’s band Social Science. Carrington has called Ray, “one of the most versatile singers I’ve ever heard”, and “a musician’s musician”. She will be performing with Social Science at the upcoming Newport Jazz Festival. Ray also had a lead role in the opera, The Jonah People which debuted with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra in 2023.
The singer and her 7-piece band, comprised of many of her fellow Berklee College of Music faculty including bassist Tom Appleman, drummer Mike Casano, keyboardist Alex Olsen and guitarist Scott Tarulli,will be performing an EP release show at The Fallout Shelter, in Norwood, MA on Saturday, May 23rd. The band will also feature three of Boston’s best female vocalists, Loren Benn, Jess Curran and Lydia (Lovely Singer) Harrell singing with Debo. Tickets on sale through the Fallout Shelter website. More information on Debo Ray at the artist website.
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Sue Auclair
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Sue@SueAuclair.com
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