Ruth Radelet of Chromatics Makes Her Solo Debut with New Original Single “Crimes”

Is it easy to start over
Is it easy to play the game
Is it easy to forget your own name

Ruth Radelet, the former lead singer of the beloved and influential band Chromatics, has unveiled her first original material as a solo artist with the dazzling new single “Crimes”, the first taste of what is to come from Radelet, capturing her uniquely cinematic oeuvre.

Collaborating with Filip Nikolic (Poolside) on “Crimes”, Radeletʼs incandescent first solo composition conveys her unmistakable style and distinct voice. “Is it easy to start over?” echoes throughout the dreamy chorus. Her voice was the soul of Chromatics; her voice takes centre stage here with a melodic backing – less synth-heavy than her former outfit, giving her ample space to radiate her signature vocal warmth.

“Crimes is about the pursuit of success at the expense of one’s integrity, and the exploitation of others in order to get ahead,” says Radelet. “It’s about the price we pay for our choices, and whether or not it’s worth it. The question, ‘Is it easy to start over?’ can be interpreted in two ways – it’s meant to ask how it feels to continually reinvent yourself until you lose sight of who you are. It also asks how hard it would be to walk away from it all.”

Listen to “Crimes” below:

Influenced by everyone from Joni Mitchell to Frank Ocean, Radelet joined Chromatics in 2006. Chromaticsʼ music and aesthetic has notably been used in numerous fashion shows, films, and television series, including Twin Peaks: The Return. Radelet was also recently featured on a Chromaticsʼ 2020 remix of the Weekndʼs “Blinding Lights”. Following the dissolution of Chromatics last August, Radelet released her cover of Elliott Smith’s “Twilight”.

This Thursday, April 21 at Los Angeles’ Zebulon, fellow former Chromatics member Adam Miller will be performing with his new band Inner Magic. Radelet will make a special guest appearance to perform “Crimes” live for the first time ever – the show is free with an RSVP here.