Lisa Ramey shares ‘Hopeless,’ a funky R&B track with heartbreaking undertones

Lisa Ramey is quietly emerging as one of the best modern R&B artists in America, with songs like ‘Hopeless’ proving how well she can articulate her vulnerability.

American pop R&B and soul artist Lisa Ramey has shared her new single, ‘Hopeless,’ as she gets set to hit 2024 running.

Lisa, originally from St. Louis, has had one of the most exciting music careers of the last decade – and one which has seen her at the centre of the limelight and taking time away from it to work on her artistry.

She received national attention after she competed in The Voice back in 2019. Here, her showstopping live performances wowed both judges and audiences alike, meaning that each song she delivered cemented her growing pop singer stature.

Once The Voice ended, Lisa gladly took every opportunity that followed it, all to sharpen her sound and perform music for her now massive fanbase.

When lockdown hit back in 2020, Lisa Ramey began live-streaming her gigs, which allowed her to stay in touch with her fanbase and showcase songs from her acclaimed debut album, Surrender. And, even during the challenging conditions of lockdown, Lisa continued to be a formidable performer (not to mention a social justice advocate and dedicated fundraiser). She collaborated with artists like John Legend, Camilla Cabello, and Common in the Global Citizen’s “Together at Home” concert series. As her platform grew, she worked alongside Vice President Kamala Harris in her advocacy mission.

Amongst this, Lisa has been surefooted in not making run-of-the-mill pop records and choosing musical avenues that work for her as an artist. Her most recent album, Broken Smile, re-imagines the forgotten songs and words of civil rights activist Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer, taking these snatches of history and breathing new life into them.

The choice might have been unusual, but it’s perfectly in keeping with an artist who likes to surprise and challenge herself. And, as Lisa’s latest songs have shown, all of this paved the way for her to be a more honest and wide-ranging pop R&B star. On the singles she released in 2023 – including ‘My Creator,’ ‘Vagabond,’ ‘Body,’ and ‘Internet’ – Lisa revealed the most personal sides of herself yet. These were songs about faith, relationships, and standing firm in the face of judgment – buoyed by a voice and a sound that always seemed triumphant.

‘Hopeless’ very much continues in this vein. Defined by some incredibly catchy funk R&B guitar and bass licks, Lisa takes us into the mind of a woman dealing with a “hopeless” relationship. She beautifully captures that feeling we all get when we know something isn’t working out – but making the decisive move is the hardest thing to do.

“You’re so bad for me baby/And I’m so bad to you,” she sings with a potent blast of tragedy.