RAYE

Rachel Agatha Keen (born 24 October 1997), known professionally as Raye, is a British singer and songwriter. Her debut studio album, My 21st Century Blues (2023) was released independently to critical and commercial success, and won Album of the Year at the 2024 BRIT Awards. Among five other awards for which she was a recipient, Raye broke the record for most wins and nominations for an artist at the ceremony in a single year. Before her breakthrough as a solo artist, Raye wrote songs for other acts, including Beyoncé, Little Mix, Rihanna, David Guetta, John Legend and Ellie Goulding. She rose to prominence after her guest appearances on the commercially successful 2016 singles "By Your Side" by Jonas Blue and "You Don't Know Me" by Jax Jones, as well as her 2020 single "Secrets" (with Regard) and "Bed" (with David Guetta and Joel Corry) the following year. She gained media attention following her departure from Polydor Records in the latter year, after the label allegedly refused to release her debut album. Raye's 2022 single "Escapism" (featuring 070 Shake) went viral on TikTok before becoming her first song to top the UK Singles Chart. It also reached the top ten in 22 countries, and became her first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100. It preceded the release of My 21st Century Blues, which was nominated for a Mercury Prize. That same year, "Prada" (with Cassö and D-Block Europe) topped charts across Europe and, along with "Escapism", earned a nomination for Brit Award for Song of the Year; the latter of which won the award. In 2019, Raye was given a BMI Film & TV Award for her "groundbreaking artistry, creative vision and impact on the future of music." She has over ten million certified sales in the United Kingdom. She has also won a Brits Billion Award—becoming one of its first recipients—as well as an Ivor Novello Award, MOBO Award, six Brit Awards—becoming the first female recipient to win Songwriter of the Year, and a Global Award.