I have a long-standing affection for songs by girls who don’t like boys, and therefore Girls Who Don’t Like Girls, a new piece of emotive folk-pop by London-based musician Raine, feels very appropriate. Taking inspiration from artists like Ethel Cain and beabadoobee, the combination of delicate production and vulnerability reminds me of the work of Clairo, but Raine undoubtedly establishes her own style here.
An ethereal piece that nonetheless feels anchored in its emotion, Raine’s single sees her overdubbed vocals act as a through line as guitar melodies sketch out a melody cautiously. Girls Who Don’t Like Girls leverages lyrical narrative with effect, as Raine describes the painful experience of falling for someone who ultimately reverts to a preference for a heterosexual relationship.
The overall effect of Raine’s performance is heartbreaking, depicting traded kisses even as she gets her heart broken. Raine explores the relationship without judgement, delivering the line ‘And she tells me she likes boys, but only when they take their clothes off, keep their mouths shut’ with resignation rather than frustration. The subsequent chorus, where Raine sings ‘I’ll be your drug, if you’ll be my love’, is all the more potent as a result — sometimes unrequited love feels like the purest form of love.
The song builds to a gentle crescendo as layered vocals repeat the song’s title, ‘I like girls who don’t like girls, who don’t like girls’. The result is a lesson in economy — proof that a song can do so much with restraint.