Ruby Rae's “Memphis Honey” Sounds Like Leaving Town Without Telling Anyone

If Lana Del Rey grew up on outlaw country and ghost stories, you’d get Ruby Rae. The alt-Americana songwriter has always walked the line between dreamy and dangerous; part rockabilly siren, part folklore-obsessed wanderer, and her latest single, “Memphis Honey,” might just be her most unfiltered yet. It’s got vintage soul, dusty road swagger, and enough cinematic flair to make you feel like you’re the main character in a 1970s road movie.

The song? It is based on a real-life 24-hour escape to Memphis during the pandemic. The car? A black Mustang. The vibe? Lonely hearts club, but make it retro. Six months into lockdown with nowhere to go and everything on pause, Rae said, “screw it,” hit the gas, and let a little chaos in. “Memphis Honey” is the story of that ride; a sonic postcard from a woman on the edge, chasing freedom, heartbreak, and the kind of clarity only found in motion.

“I hope this song makes people roll their windows down, tap their steering wheel, and ease their lonely hearts for a minute,” she says. Mission accomplished.

The track is packed with velvety R&B influence à la Dusty Springfield, laced with the lyrical bite of Jenny Lewis and Waxahatchee. But it’s all Ruby Rae: cinematic, clever, and dripping with Southern gothic charm. Produced by Ryan Poole and recorded live at The Hideout, “Memphis Honey” features a stacked band: Aaron Berg (bass), Chris Benelli (drums), Sam Hunter (guitar), and Reed Pittman (organ), bringing the song to life with raw, organic energy. No click tracks, no bullshit, just vibe, talent, and heat.

This isn’t some over-polished Spotify-core song made for background noise. It’s dusty boots on the dashboard, eyeliner slightly smudged, wind in your teeth kind of music.

And if you’ve been sleeping on Ruby Rae, now’s the time to wake up. With past projects like the grief-soaked Night of the Psychopomp, the desert-drenched Akumal sessions, and her surf-noir opus True Crime, she’s built an entire sonic multiverse, and “Memphis Honey” might be the entry point you didn’t know you needed.

You wrote "Memphis Honey" after a spontaneous 24-hour trip during the pandemic. Were you chasing inspiration or running from something?

 I was chasing new connections and running from the isolation of my little bubble. Usually, I'm a big planner, but that 24-hour trip was a completely spontaneous thing - no plans, no reservations, just acting on instinct and feeling like I could turn an adventure into reality! 

Your music often feels like a blend of autobiography and mythology. Do you ever find it challenging to distinguish between Ruby Rae, the artist, and Ruby Rae, the person? 

This might sound strange, but they are pretty separate. They feel like entirely different parts running side by side. Ruby Rae, the artist, is a better storyteller, a better singer, and the wilder side. Writing songs is her way of communicating.

There's a lot of retro energy in "Memphis Honey" — Dusty Springfield, rockabilly, neo-soul. What draws you to those vintage textures, and how do you make them feel current? 

I love this question! Some of the retro textures I love are the irresistible grooves, the raw emotion the singers have against the dreamy reverb backdrop, and the live feeling of how they make you want to dance and cry at the same time. Anything I create, hopefully, has layers of those older songs in addition to some of the modern influences like Jenny Lewis and Jess Williamson.

What's one emotion or memory you hope "Memphis Honey" brings up for listeners when they hear it alone in their car? 

I hope they feel joyful, nostalgic, and mysterious all at the same time.

You've built such a cinematic universe across your records. If your discography were a film series, what genre would Memphis Honey be?

And what's the next chapter? It would definitely be a road trip thriller. The next chapter takes place in New York City, but I don't know the ending yet.