RAYE

RAYE, born Rachel Agatha Keen on October 24, 1997, is a British singer-songwriter and record producer. Hailing from Tooting and raised in Croydon, South London, she grew up in a musically inclined family. Her mother is of Ghanaian-Swiss heritage, and her father is English. RAYE learned to play the piano during her childhood and briefly attended the BRIT School. She began releasing music in 2014 with the R&B-influenced EP Welcome to the Winter. Alongside her solo career, RAYE has also established herself as a songwriter for other artists, with credits including work for Beyoncé, Charli XCX, John Legend, and Little Mix.

Following a significant disagreement with Polydor Records regarding the release of her debut album, RAYE departed the label. She then independently released her first studio album, My 21st Century Blues, on February 3, 2023. Co-written and co-produced by RAYE, the album features influences from jazz, soul, and contemporary pop. The lead single, “Escapism,” became her first UK number-one hit and marked her debut on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. This independent phase of her career led to substantial industry acclaim, including a record-breaking number of BRIT Awards in 2024.