Raye dropped her debut EP Welcome to the Winter in 2014, when she was 16. Fast forward a decade and the singer, songwriter and producer from South London broke the record for the highest number of BRIT Award wins in a single year (she bagged six at the 2024 ceremony).
The road to this astonishing success has been long. Despite the fact that she landed a four-album record deal with Polydor off the back of her EP, Raye spent years battling for creative control and fighting for the music she believed in.
Her single ‘Escapism’ went viral on TikTok and reached number one in the UK charts in 2023. Her debut studio album ‘My 21st Century Blues’ followed, attracting a Mercury Prize nomination. Her genre-defying music spans R&B, pop, soul, dance, jazz and more, while her live performances have been called ‘flawless’.
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Whether you’re new to Raye fandom, have listened to her music since day one or are simply intrigued by this impressive artist, here are 10 things you might not know about her.
1.Her real name is Rachel
Raye’s real name is Rachel Agatha Keen. At the BRIT Awards 2024, the artist said that her middle name was inspired by her grandmother, Agatha Dawson-Amoah, who joined her on stage at the BRITs 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,' said Raye.
2.She’s in her mid-twenties
Raye was born on October 24, 1997, making her 26 – and a Scorpio. She once described herself as “a little girl from Croydon with a dream”. During her Best New Artist acceptance speech at the BRIT Awards, she said: 'The artist I was three years ago would not believe what she's seeing today. I'm my own boss now, I'm in control. Thank you!'
3.She’s a born and bred Londoner
Raye was born in Tooting, South London and grew up in Croydon, where she studied at Woodcote High School. She then enrolled at the famed BRIT School at the age of 14, where she studied music and dance, following star-studded alumni including Adele and Amy Winehouse. She dropped out after two years.
4.She was discovered by the lead singer of the band Years and Years
When she was 14, Raye wrote a song called ‘Hotbox’, reportedly inspired by a house party. The lead singer of Years and Years, Olly Alexander, heard the song and this led to a record deal.
5.She’s an independent artist
Tired of being pigeon-holed on dance tracks and prevented from releasing her own music, Raye publicly ended her contract with record label Polydor in July 2021. She then released her single ‘Escapism’ independently, which reached number one in the UK chart. 'I’m an independent artist,' she said at the time. 'This is proof that [you should] back yourself, no matter what.'
6.She’s written songs for some very big fellow artists
Raye’s talent for songwriting hasn’t been confined to her own songs, she’s also penned and co-written tracks for artists including Beyoncé, John Legend and Little Mix.
7.She survived abuse in the music industry
Raye survived 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 17.
8.She’s also battled substance abuse
Her issues in the industry pushed her towards alcohol and drugs. 'I was able to get along with my career because I was in some form of sedation,' she told Louis Theroux in his BBC interview series in 2023. 'When I became sober I realised wow I can’t do this sober, it’s actually deep.'
9.Her siblings are also musicians
Her sister Abby Lynn Keen, is a songwriter and has written tracks for the likes of Rihanna, Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez. Lauren Keen, her other sister, is also a musician.
10.She’s been romantically linked to Drake
The singer-songwriter allegedly went on dates with Drake after the pair worked together in the studio in the run up to Drake’s fifth album, ‘Scorpion’.
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