British singer/songwriter RAYE is a dynamic force of pop music, quickly ascending to become one of the brightest stars of her time both a headliner and an in-demand collaborator. Her effortlessly smooth vocals and hook-laden songs began to take hold after she showed up as a featured artist on tracks by Jonas Blue and Jax Jones, with her 2020 mini-album Euphoric Sad Songs, scoring a Top Ten single with “Secrets.” RAYE had assisted dozens of other artists spanning pop, R&B, rap, and dance music — ranging from Charli XCX and Ellie Goulding to David Guetta and Beyoncé — and was a star in her own right by the time she issued her first album, My 21st Century Blues (2023), containing the number one U.K. hit “Escapism.”
A native of South London, RAYE (Rachel Keen) was born and raised in Tooting before she moved to Croydon in her teens. Starting her career at the age of ten, she was guided by her father and her guitar teacher. Her interest in music quickly led to small charity gigs and singing in her local church. Itching to get started properly RAYE had enrolled in the prestigious BRIT School to perfect her craft.
Of course she got in, but even before that – at the age of just 14 – she’d landed herself a manager. Once ensconced in such a creative environment, her songwriting talents flourished. “When I was at the Brit School I was doing recording sessions after school and on Saturday and Sundays. My first ever session was with Eg White [Adele, Florence & The Machine], which is mad.’ After leaving the Brit School at 16, more songwriting sessions followed, and while a career as a successful songwriter beckoned, RAYE knew she wanted to be an artist in her own right. She also knew she could offer up a different type of popstar to the ones she could see being successful. “I definitely always knew I wanted to be an artist. It’s been a bit of a battle, more because of how you’re supposed to look as an artist; skinny and conforming to how other pop stars are meant to be.’ Just before the end of 2014, RAYE self-released her R&B-leaning debut EP, Welcome to the Winter. The lead single, “Hotbox,” was noticed by Olly Alexander, aka Years & Years, who got in touch with RAYE and arranged a meeting with the A&R department at Polydor.
After leaving Polydor, RAYE signed a licensing and distribution deal with Human Re Sources, giving her artistic control. The first singles from RAYE’s debut album arrived the next year. After “Hard Out Here” and “Mascara,” RAYE scored her first number one U.K. hit with the unguarded 070 Shake collaboration “Escapism.” The feat set the stage for the February 2023 arrival of My 21st Century Blues. RAYE co-wrote each song and was assisted chiefly by Mike Sabath. The album charted worldwide, reaching the number two spot in the U.K. and as high as 58 in the States. Promotion surrounding the album included extensive touring, a televised BBC special filmed at Royal Albert Hall that found RAYE accompanied by a 50-person orchestra and gospel choir, plans for a performance of “My 21st Century Symphony” to a sold-out crowd of 20,000 at The O2 Arena, as well as a Coachella debut.
With major-label backing from Polydor, RAYE kept busy in 2016, including co-writing her single “I, U, US” alongside Charli XCX, appearing as a featured artist on Jonas Blue‘s “By Your Side” and Jax Jones‘ “You Don’t Know Me” — two Top 20 U.K. hits — and releasing her own Second EP. She was back working with Charli XCX the following year, guesting on the singer’s tracks “Girls” and “Dreamer.” Also in 2017, RAYE scored her first U.K. pop hits as a lead artist with “The Line,” which reached number 65, and “Decline,” a collaboration with Mr. Eazi that peaked at number 15. “Decline” and the subsequent number 41 single “Cigarette,” featuring Mabel and Stefflon Don, led the 2018 EP Side Tape. RAYE was heard around the same time on Kojo Funds‘ Top 40 hit “Check.”
The steady shift in sound and a move towards something a bit more pop is all part of her masterplan. “I want to be a massive pop artist and I’ve always wanted to start in the right place so that’s with the music I love. I’ve always wanted to do it in my own way, on my own terms.”
Raye joined us on a trip to India to visit our projects and see first hand the work we are doing to empower and bring clean drinking water to many communities and has also performed for us at our Angel Club.
