There’s this thing called the Mandela Effect—when something feels so engrained in the culture that you assume it’s real, even though it’s not. Like how Darth Vader says, “Luke, I am your father” (he doesn’t), or that chartreuse is pink (it’s green).
With her big voice and brass band, you might assume British singer-songwriter Raye had already made plenty of music with Mark Ronson, the sophisticated super-producer known for his jazz-inflected soul records with artists like Amy Winehouse. But as it turns out, their new track, “Suzanne,”—unveiled at a chic party in London last night—is their first-ever link-up.
Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet brought them together in celebration of its 150th anniversary and long-standing ties to music. Earlier that day, a group of journalists—mostly from the watch world, with a few music writers mixed in—gathered in a meticulously curated listening room so pristine we were made to wear oversized slippers to protect the carpet. AP CEO Ilaria Resta (huge vibe) joined us, as did Ronson and Raye, who thanked us for joining “the slipper cult” before pressing play.
A blushing summer track—big Lime bike energy—blasts through the speakers. “Suzanne / I would like to hold you if I can,” the chorus goes, flanked by verses about curtain-falling hair and flirtatious, fluttering eyes like Tweetie Pie’s. Whether Suzanne is a romantic interest or a radiant best friend, it’s clear Ronson and Raye are both smitten with the song’s fictional muse.
It actually came together in a weird retroactive way. Ronson had created the beat before they met. When he finally played it for Raye, she instantly said it should be called “Suzanne.” Little did they know that Suzanne Audemars, 100 years before Audemars Piguet was born, was a woman in Switzerland who played an integral part in bringing watchmaking to the Vallée du Joux. After losing her husband and three children, she encouraged her remaining kids to take up the craft—, laying the groundwork for what would become Audemars Piguet.
For Raye, working with Ronson had been a long time coming. “Years ago I was working in his studio, and I’d hear stories like ‘Mark Ronson only rides in black cabs,’ so it was very cool we finally got in the room together,” she says. “He’s the king of creating music that outlasts trends.”
Ronson was equally glad to see her success. “When anyone English starts to come up the way she did—making such a big, indelible mark in the States and everywhere—I was cheering her on, even though we’d never met.”
“I’d have Biggie and Gershwin at my house party. Biggie saying to Gershwin on the piano: ‘Hey, you know Hypnotize?’”
Mark ronson
So, in honor of AP’s 150 years, I ask: If they could throw a house party featuring musicians from across history, who would make the guest list? Who’s on decks? Who’s sipping wine in the corner?
Mark Ronson: I’d like an entire day to come back to you.
Raye: Well, all the greats are gonna be there. Definitely all my favorites: Ella Fitzgerald Dinah Washington. All my favorites are dead, unfortunately. The question is dead or alive, right?
Yep.
Raye: I’m inviting all the jazz greats: Etta James, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington. Oh my gosh, there’s gonna be a jazz section just in the corner.
Ronson: You can’t have them in the corner—it’s jazz! They’ve got to be right in the center!
Raye: Right, right. Exactly. And Count Basie, too.
Ronson: I think mine are all dead as well. I’d have Biggie and Gershwin. Biggie saying to Gershwin on the piano: “Hey, you know ‘Hypnotize’?”
Later that night, during a dinner at 180 Studios, Naomi Campbell, Iris Law, and Central Cee mingled before food by two Michelin star chefs, Jeremy Chan and Sven Wassmer, arrived. I’m vegetarian, so get the alt menu—still delicious. I eat an aubergine, then a mushroom unlike anything else I’ve ever tasted before (complimentary). After a dainty little dessert, it’s time for the big reveal. We’d heard “Suzanne” already, but many of the 200 guests didn’t realize they were about to witness a Ronson x Raye debut.
Raye—high heeled, hair coiffed, AP on the wrist—bounds onstage and performed tracks from her latest album, followed by a medley from when she used to write crazy dance tracks like “You Don’t Know Me” and “Bed” with Joel Corry. (Cench, throughout, is discreetly puffing on his vape.)
Then Ronson rocks up, shirt accidentally buttoned down past his chest, and the pair premiere “Suzanne” with Ronson on the bass. Honestly, these kinds of branded collaborations often feel forced—like artists politely pretending they’re proud of work they phoned in. But Audemars Piguet clearly gave these two room to breathe, and what resulted was something genuinely joyful. As the applause swelled, Raye looked moved. It was sweet watching someone’s dream come true.