Lady Wray is making music on her own terms. With an almighty voice, soul-stirring lyrics, and a magnetic personality, the singer-songwriter continues to elevate her artistry while pushing the boundaries of soul and R&B.. Lady Wray’s music reflects her appreciation for her family, her faith, and her renewed love for herself—all of which drive her anticipated third album Cover Girl (out September 26 via Big Crown Records). The celebratory Cover Girl takes listeners on a free-spirited joyride glittered with ‘60s and '70s-inspired soul and disco, ‘90s hip-hop and R&B, and gospel. Following the healing journey that was 2022’s Piece of Me, the singer has performed on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and NPR’s Tiny Desk, spent ample time on the road touring, and was sampled on London electronic producer Fred Again’s 2024 album, Ten Days. After this period of growth, Lady Wray is now ready to let her hair down and embrace all of what life has to offer her. The singer reunited with producer Leon Michels for the record, who helped fuse the singer’s raw soul sensibility with a modern R&B sound. The outcome of Cover Girl is effortless, a reflection of the pair’s longtime collaboration that extends over a decade. “I've gravitated more towards love and self-care with this album. Piece of Me was realizing that I was going to be a mother, and all those feelings were on my heart,” Lady Wray says. “Now I'm able to sit back and be a real boss. I got my career, my motherhood, and my marriage by the horns. I've grown into this more self-aware and beautiful flower for Cover Girl.” Lady Wray’s revived bliss is best captured in the album’s lead single, “You’re Gonna Win”. A call back to the carefree Studio 54 era, the groovy track celebrates love on—and beyond— the dancefloor. “I do not care who came before me / After me they’ll be none / Say it loud no one can measure / You're my favorite company”, she teases before the choir takes the chorus to delightful heights. “This song is my night out. This is my sexy time,” Lady Wray explains. “I can get dressed, call my friends, and we're gonna go out, dance, and have a great time.” Love is a major driving force on Cover Girl, as seen with “Time” and “My Best Step”—two adoring odes to Lady Wray’s husband. Wrapped in ‘60s-inspired soul, both of these tunes are a testament to love's hardships, with Lady Wray’s tender vocals beaming with admiration for her relationship. Cover Girl’s title track is one of the album’s most vulnerable moments. The piano-driven ballad puts Lady Wray’s powerful, church-refined vocals on full display as she details the discovery of finding herself again: “I lost myself trying to please someone else / I want to be me again.” “It stems from a nickname that a family friend gave to me as a kid. She would always call me ‘Cover Girl’, because my hair would be done and I had on the cutest outfits. I was a little lady!” Lady Wray explains. “As I grew up and got into the music business, I lost that happy part of me. I see that happiness in my daughter, who’s just beautiful, talented, and smart. ‘Cover Girl’ is me going back to that little girl. It’s about getting back to loving yourself, healing, and taking things one day at a time.” Lady Wray’s diaristic approach to music started at an early age, singing in the church choir at age 8. At home, her parents introduced her to the inspiring sounds of Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Clark Sisters, and Shirley Caesar. Lady Wray’s father was also a singer: “He had a very distinctive voice, and I feel like the ancestors had given it to him, like they did with me. He passed the torch down to me, and I'm going to keep it going.” At age 16, Wray was introduced to Missy Elliott. Her impressive on-the-spot performance in her living room of SWV's “Weak” led to her becoming the first recording artist on Elliott's The Goldmind Inc. label. “Make It Hot”, the lead single from her 1998 debut album of the same name, peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2010, Wray received an enlightening career shift when she provided unforgettable vocals on The Black Keys’ 2010 album, Brothers. “When I worked with these guys, they put me in the forefront. And I hadn't felt that in so long,” Lady Wray says. “I always felt like Cinderella. I know I have what it takes, but I'm in the basement, and they won't let me out. They shined this light on me. A light bulb went off in my head and I said, ‘This is what I'm gonna do’”. Following that moment, Lady Wray signed to Big Crown Records in 2016 and released two retro-rooted albums—2016’s Queen Alone and 2022’s Piece of Me. After surviving industry road bumps and trying to find her voice, the new album Cover Girl is a reminder that her ancestral talent was there all along. “You need to rule your own world. Don't let anybody get in your way. You rock with your dreams until the wheels fall off,” Lady Wray says. “That's what I've been doing with my career since 1998. I know who I am and what I bring to the table. It's been a heck of a journey, and I feel so happy to be making the best music of my life.”