Ray BLK facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ray BLK
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rita Ekwere |
| Also known as | Ray Blizzy |
| Born | 2 August 1994 Nigeria |
| Origin | Catford, South East London, England |
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| Years active | 2015–present |
| Labels | Universal Island Records |
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Ray BLK is the stage name for Rita Ekwere, a talented British singer and songwriter. She was born in Nigeria on August 2, 1994, and grew up in Catford, a part of London. Ray BLK became famous when she won the BBC's Sound of 2017 award. This was a big deal because she was the first artist to win it without being signed to a major record label.
She released her first mini-album, Durt, in October 2016. In January 2018, she signed with Island Records in the UK. Her first full album, Access Denied, came out in October 2021 and was praised by music critics.
About Ray BLK
Ray BLK's real name is Rita Ekwere. She was born in Nigeria and moved to London when she was about four years old. She spent her childhood in Catford. When she was 13, she started a music group with her school friend MNEK. They called their group "New Found Content."
Later, Ray BLK went to Brunel University to study English literature. For her final project, she wrote about Nigerian literature from after the country gained independence. She focused on books by famous authors like Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Adichie. Before her music career took off, she worked at an advertising agency to support herself.
Her stage name, BLK, is actually an acronym. It stands for "Building Living Knowing." Ray BLK says these are the three most important values in her life.
Music Career
Ray BLK started releasing her own music while she was still studying at university. Her first collection of songs, called an EP, was Havisham, released in 2015. This EP was inspired by the character Miss Havisham from Charles Dickens' famous book, Great Expectations. The songs told the story of a girl who becomes cold towards men after experiencing heartbreak. Ray BLK explained that she felt many women around her had similar experiences.
For a while, Ray BLK released her music independently, meaning she didn't sign with a big record label. This allowed her to keep control over her music. In 2016, she released her mini-album Durt on her own. This album included songs with other artists like Stormzy, Wretch 32, and SG Lewis. One of her popular songs, "My Hood," is about her hometown of Catford. She wrote it after a difficult experience, feeling like she wanted to leave the area.
In 2016, she was nominated for "best newcomer" at the MOBO Awards. Then, in January 2017, she was announced as the winner of the BBC's Sound of 2017 award, which was a huge achievement for an independent artist.
In 2019, Ray BLK was chosen to open for the UK concerts of The Nicki Wrld Tour. This was a major tour by the American rapper Nicki Minaj. In November 2019, she released a song called "Action" with rapper Chip. She also shared small previews of new music from her upcoming first album.
In July 2021, she released the song "MIA" with American singer Kaash Paige. At the same time, she announced that her first full album, Access Denied, would be released in September 2021. The release was later moved to October 1, 2021. When the album came out, it received great reviews and was even listed as one of the best albums of 2021 by NME magazine.
In 2023, Ray BLK tried acting for the first time. She played the character Honey in the BBC One musical TV show Champion. She also helped choose and arrange the music for the show's soundtrack, working alongside Ghetts and the show's creator, Candice Carty-Williams.
Main Music Releases
Ray BLK has released several projects throughout her career:
- Studio Album: Access Denied (released October 1, 2021)
- EPs (Extended Plays):
- Havisham (released March 15, 2015)
- Durt (released October 28, 2016)
- Empress (released October 26, 2018)
- A Forest Fire (released October 25, 2024)
