Raph Solo Drops His ‘Jasmine Petals’

First Single from His New Album, ‘LIFE’

Out singer-songwriter Raph Solo is serving a large scoop of “LIFE” this summer, his new album of retrospective ballads. Recorded in London, the album features a mix of the sexy singer’s past hits, including “Rich in My Heart” and brand-new songs including “Jasmine Petals,” the album’s first single, releasing to YouTube today.

It’s a contemporary classic pop song where Raph likens flower buds falling off a tree to relationships. “What starts sweet and lovely on the tree often decays, and when the tree finally releases the bud, that’s when real growth to the tree occurs. Such is often the case with people and love,” he says.

We spoke with Raph to learn more.

What inspired your new single, “Jasmine Petals?”
It’s inspired by the power of goodbye. The song is about letting go of what no longer serves us. It’s about reflecting on what was, what is and deciding on what we want to be.

It’s reminiscent of the old Boyz II Men song, “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.”
We live and love, and it’s OK to lose sometimes. That’s what makes the tragedy of life’s unfortunate circumstances beautiful. We have the power to turn it around. Whatever it is, we are still here, which means we have survived, and that’s something to be grateful for.

Where did you shoot the music video?
It was filmed in a French period mansion in North London.

It’s a beautiful location! You use a lot of symbolism in the video. What is the significance of the golden violin?
If you notice, I play it blindfolded. It is my way of reminding people that we don’t always see clearly everything that is happening in our lives. Sometimes we go through life blinded.

What about the gun?
A gun is one of the quickest ways to end life. No matter how bad life gets, we can always choose to put the gun down.

Why did you choose “Jasmine Petals” as the first single off your new “LIFE” album?
It was the main song I found myself singing to. It became a big part of me.

What do you hope fans take away from “Jasmine Petals” and the “LIFE” album?
Celebrate yourself. Celebrate your life. It’s your story. Write it. If you didn’t like something that happened yesterday, try your best to not repeat it tomorrow.

Raph Solo’s “LIFE” and “Jasmine Petals” are being released globally through Angel King Musique and are available on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon as well all other online retail outlets. For more information, visit raphsolo.com.