Prior to recording Til I Hate You, her latest song, Rachel Renee wanted to express the pain of heartbreak to the different sounds she was raised on. She did pop, dancehall and club versions of the recently released track.

With each take, the Chicago-born singer evokes feelings that arise when a relationship ends.

“Til I Hate You is really about the complicated emotions that come with love, heartbreak and relationships. Sometimes you can love somebody so deeply that even when things become toxic or painful, those feelings don’t just disappear overnight,” said Rachel Renee. “The title captures that emotional conflict—loving someone while also reaching that point where you have to choose yourself and walk away. I wanted people to be able to hear the song and connect it to their own experiences.”

The dancehall flavour is a nod to her Jamaican roots. She also has Italian heritage.

Rachel Renee says doing diverse cuts of Til I Hate You shows adaptability.

“I wanted to show the song from different perspectives and give people different ways to experience it. Each version has its own energy and personality, while still keeping the heart of the original song,” she explained. “I also wanted to demonstrate my versatility as an artiste and show that one song can tell the same story in different ways.”

Living in diverse locations helped Rachel Renee appreciate various genres. She has also spent time in Florida, Georgia, California, Mexico and Jamaica.

“Growing up around so many different cultures definitely influenced the way I hear and approach music,” said Rachel Renee.

— Howard Campbell