RAYE CONFRONTS A DIFFICULT SUBJECT

Now that Women's History Month is underway, you'll be seeing a lot of upbeat messages about empowerment. But the reality is that the most disempowering experience imaginable is part of too many women's histories.

RAYE, currently earning big streams with her hit "Escapism.," looks unflinchingly at such experiences in the just-arrived self-directed video for "Ice Cream Man," which, like "Escapism.," appears on her new album, 21st Century Blues (Human Re Sources/The Orchard).

"When I experienced sexual assault and rape, I didn't tell anyone," says the British artist in words superimposed on the video. "One in four people experience sexual assault in their lifetime. The odds are that is at least 25% of you reading this. This evil has more power over us in the dark than it does in the light. If I can encourage anything, let's not bury it deep down inside us forever. Lots of love, Raye."

In addition to the trigger warning appended to the visual itself (see below), RAYE's team stated: "This video deals with adult themes of sexual violence. It's incredibly painful to watch and may be triggering for some, but it's an authentic part of Raye's story."

Raye's tour commenced Wednesday (3/1) at the Debaser Stand in Stockholm. It stops in San Francisco on 3/14 and wraps in Seattle 5/24. The run resumes in Paris 11/18. Find all the dates here.