Setting the tone with a vibrant and immersive synthscape, Carter Ray opens SCARS with a pop energy and the lyrics, “No-one else, no-one else knows how much I fought, no-one else but you, many days when I didn’t feel like living at all, so much we’ve been through…”
The opus expands with intricate production into an empowering and anthemic vibe, as Carter Ray takes us through a vulnerable tale of survival. SCARS deals with the theme of the “human desire to be flawless, celebrating unity in our uniqueness and promoting the beautiful acceptance that comes with being who you are free of judgment.”
We learn that Carter Ray is also trans, and that the concept of the song is linked to their lived experience. We love his charismatic delivery and emotive lyricism, which is thought provoking, but also shapes up to deliver a danceable bop.
Speaking on the release, Carter confesses with passion and depth, “Both mental and physical, scars are scattered across all of us, weighing heavy on our hearts, infiltrating our minds and consuming our happiness to feed the ego.”
The rising artist from Los Angeles reminds us that it’s time to surrender our self-proclaimed imperfections and “embrace these scars.”
Scars comes with a powerful and cinematic music video featuring an epic and engaging performance from Carter Ray, as he hangs out with his friends at the beach, sharing drinks and embracing each others’ scars.
Speaking on the visual, Carter shares his perspective to inspire us to connect with our vulnerabilities, “I remember before my transition being at the beach, seeing all the guys with their shirts off and feeling so alone, and misunderstood. Only to come to the realization that I don’t need anyone’s approval to be set free. In the end, I’m just one of those boy’s. I want young trans men, and all walks of life for that matter, to feel seen. We got community through one another. I hope someone somewhere hears “Scars” and dances like they never have before and embraces all that has brought them to where they are today.”
We appreciate the authenticity in Carter Ray‘s message and have added Scars to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we continue to stream his wider discography including Wait For You, and Dimension, Baby.