Using velvet smooth vocals and airy harmonies, Rayana Jay's music carries a… Read Full Bio ↴Using velvet smooth vocals and airy harmonies, Rayana Jay's music carries a confessional, old-soul storytelling nature rooted in honesty. From love and heartbreak to womanhood and self-discovery, the 28-year-old Richmond, CA, native's music is a direct reflection of her innermost thoughts and feelings at all times. The R&B/soul singer's influences span from Organized Noize and Stevie Wonder, all the way to the raw emotions of Amy Winehouse and sultry tones of Anita Baker. Jay began singing in the choir at ten years old and recorded her first professional song in the summer of 2012. She grew up with her grandmother, who introduced her to classic singers like Johnny "Guitar" Watson, along with her mom who worked at a record label in the 90s. Celebrated by The Fader, NPR, Nylon, TIDAL, BBC1 Extra, Paper Mag, Grown-ish, Atlanta FX, Shameless, Invincible and more--Rayana Jay is one of future R&B's most important voices. Her critical darlings & acclaimed projects include: Sorry About Last Night, Morning After, Love Me Like, and her most recent EP, Last Call.

Cupcake
Rayana Jay Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(He said) Promise me you won't tell
(He said) Promise me you won't tell
(He said) Just promise me you won't tell
If I take you to the hotel
(He said) Promise me you won't tell
(He said) Promise me you won't tell
(He said) Just promise me you won't tell
If I take you to the hotel

Things are so intimate I used to be so innocent
Until he touched me in a spot that made me hot
And ever since nothing really made sense
Something was wrong because he had a beard
Even knowing his age it still felt weird
He had a suit and tie instead of pants hanging
He owned his own company not gang banging
It attracted me, loved it was scared to bring him in public
Society would judge worser than Young Thug
The way his pants hugged and attack me
It struck to my core that I liked grown men
Not 1 or 2 years older, man I'm talking about 10
Ran to him for protection to people opinions
Kept coming and coming like an election
He told me "don't say shit we got to keep it
Down, erase your call log when my number get dialed"

To get used to it, it really took awhile
Running around town with a pedophile

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Rayana Jay's song Cupcake describe a secret relationship between the singer and an older man. The man asks the singer to promise not to tell anyone if he takes her to a hotel. The lyrics go on to describe the singer's conflicting emotions about the relationship. She feels both hot and uncomfortable around this man, who is much older than her. Even though he is successful and attractive, she is scared of being judged by society for being with him.

The lyrics suggest that the singer may have been the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of this older man. She describes feeling hot after he "touched her in a spot", but also feeling that "something was wrong". She acknowledges that the man is significantly older than her and even refers to him as a "pedophile" towards the end of the song. Despite this, she continues to see him and keep their relationship a secret.

The lyrics of Cupcake are powerful because they highlight the complex emotional terrain that many survivors of sexual abuse navigate. The singer is attracted to this older man, but also aware that the relationship is problematic. She is scared of being judged by society for being with him, but also seeks his protection from other people's opinions. Ultimately, the song suggests that the singer feels trapped in this relationship and unable to speak out about the abuse she may be experiencing.

Line by Line Meaning

(He said) Promise me you won't tell
He was insistent on making sure that she wouldn't tell anyone about their secret hotel meeting.

If I take you to the hotel
He wanted to take her to a private location and have a sexual encounter with her.

Things are so intimate I used to be so innocent
She used to be naïve, but that all changed after the sexual experience she had with this man.

Until he touched me in a spot that made me hot
This man touched her in a sexual way that she had never experienced before, and it aroused her.

And ever since nothing really made sense
After this experience, her life felt different, and she wasn't sure what she wanted anymore.

Something was wrong because he had a beard
She felt uneasy about the age difference and didn't feel comfortable being intimate with someone so much older than her.

Even knowing his age it still felt weird
Despite knowing his age, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

He had a suit and tie instead of pants hanging
This man was successful and professional, which was a turn-on for her.

He owned his own company not gang banging
She was attracted to his independence and success, as opposed to someone involved in illegal activities.

It attracted me, loved it was scared to bring him in public
She was drawn to him but was afraid of the judgment she would receive from society if she were public about their relationship.

Society would judge worser than Young Thug
She feared the harsh criticism and backlash from others, even worse than what the rapper Young Thug receives for his unorthodox style.

The way his pants hugged and attack me
His physical appearance was attractive and alluring to her.

It struck to my core that I liked grown men
She realized that she was attracted to older men, and it was a part of her identity.

Not 1 or 2 years older, man I'm talking about 10
She was attracted to men with a significant age difference, rather than just a minor age gap.

Ran to him for protection to people opinions
She sought refuge in him as a way to escape the judgment and opinions of others.

Kept coming and coming like an election
The criticism and backlash from others continued to pile up, similar to a political campaign.

He told me "don't say shit we got to keep it down, erase your call log when my number get dialed"
He warned her to keep their relationship a secret and to hide all evidence of communication between them.

To get used to it, it really took awhile
She struggled to adjust to the secrecy and complexity of their relationship.

Running around town with a pedophile
She was in a relationship with an older man who was significantly older than her, leading some to label him as a pedophile.

Writer(s): Miles Douglas, Andrew Arnett, Rayana Jay

Contributed by Zoe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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