This year has been Raye’s.
The talented British singer and songwriter picked up 6 Brit Awards on March 2nd at London’s O2 Arena, smashing the previous record of 4 held by Harry Styles, Adele and Blur.
Raye picked up gongs for Best Album, Best Artist, Best Song, Best R&B Act and Best New Artist. She was also the first woman to ever win Songwriter of the Year.
Collecting her prizes barefoot, she said: “You don’t understand what this means to me. The artist I was three years ago would not believe I’m in control – I’m my own boss.”
SO WHO IS RAYE?
Born Rachel Keen, the 26-year-old Londoner, came from relative obscurity and almost didn’t have a chance at her musical career, due to a falling out with her former record industry bosses.
Her old label Polydor told her that they would not make an album with her unless she had chart success with her solo track, back in 2021.
Raye revolted and said of the situation: “Imagine the PRESSURE of me waking up every day frantically looking at numbers and stats. If I am going to suffer I am NOT going to do it in silence anymore.”
Polydor said they were saddened by her statement, and she was released from her 4 album deal the following month.
Luckily for Raye she released her music with an independent distribution company and quickly turned her life around. Her track ‘Escapism’ went viral on Tik Tok and reached number one in the UK charts and she had her first US hit too.
From there Raye went onto release her album ‘My 21st Century Blues’ to critical acclaim and a Mercury Prize nomination.
BRIT WINNING RECORD
Raye said at The Brits that her middle name was inspired by her grandmother, Agatha Dawson-Amoah, who joined her on stage as she accepted her Album Of The Year award. “My grandma is awake til 3am praying for me and my beautiful sisters, I love you so much,” she said on stage.
This year was also monumental because Raye had never picked up an award before in her life.
Aged only 26 to scoop 6 Brit Awards was unprecedented. She was nominated in 7 categories and the only one she didn’t pick up was Best Pop Act, which Dua Lipa won.
This year was also a phenomenal year for women, with the Brits reporting that three quarters of the award wins featured women or non-binary people.
NATURAL TALENT
Raye was born in Tooting, South London in 1997 and lived in Croydon for most of her childhood. Aged 14 she studied music and dance at the prestigious Brit School, which has turned out talent including Adele and Amy Winehouse.
She dropped out at 16 after her track ‘Hotbox’ was heard by Years and Years frontman Olly Alexander and this led to a record deal.
It wasn’t until she was freed from Polydor in 2021, that she achieved true commercial success on her own. She said at the time, “This is proof that you should back yourself, no matter what.”
Raye has always been a talented songwriter. To date she has penned tracks for Beyonce, John Legend and Little Mix behind the scenes.
Raye has also admitted to surviving sexual assault and has spoken out about a culture of misogyny in the music industry. Her song ‘Ice Cream Man’ mentions a music producer who sexually assaulted her when she was only 17.
Raye has topped and dominated the charts for almost two years now and shows no signs of slowing down. She is a natural born entertainer who has the potential to be one of the UK’s greatest recording artists.
She is also popular with the public, due to her down to earth nature. For example, after scooping all her Brit gongs she took off her high heels and went to the Brits after party in white hotel slippers!
And to bravely say that she can’t believe she is “ugly crying on national television” had everyone in stitches. And bringing her nan on stage is just inspiring!
Go Raye – you Raye of Sunshine!
