Raye facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Raye
Raye in 2025
Born	Rachel Agatha Keen (1997-10-24) 24 October 1997 (age 29) Tooting, London, England
Occupation	Singer-songwriter record producer
Years active	2014–present
Works	Discography
Relatives	Absolutely (sister) Amma (sister)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	R&B pop jazz dance soul
Instruments	Vocals piano
Labels	Polydor Human Re Sources

Rachel Agatha Keen (born 24 October 1997), known by her stage name Raye, is an award-winning British singer, songwriter, and record producer. She creates catchy songs by blending different musical styles such as jazz, pop music, dance music, R&B, and soul music. Raye writes honest lyrics about her life, working through difficult challenges, and believing in yourself. Besides singing her own tracks, she has written hit tunes for world-famous stars around the globe.

Raye began sharing her work online while she was still a teenager. She signed with Polydor Records in 2014 and scored major hits alongside producers like Jonas Blue and Jax Jones. Even though she helped create many chart-topping songs, she had to wait a long time to release a full album of her own. In 2021, she bravely decided to leave her record company so she could share her true musical vision.

Becoming an independent artist opened exciting new doors for Raye. In 2023, she released her critically acclaimed debut studio album, My 21st Century Blues. The smash hit "Escapism" shot to number one on the UK singles chart and introduced her sound to listeners worldwide. In 2024, Raye made history at the Brit Awards 2024 by winning six trophies in a single evening, an all-time record. In 2026, her second album, This Music May Contain Hope, reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and earned the prestigious Mercury Prize.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Rachel Agatha Keen was born on 24 October 1997 in Tooting, an area in South London, England. Her mother has Swiss-German and Ghanaian roots and works in mental health care. Her father comes from Yorkshire in northern England. Rachel grew up in a lively, artistic home with three younger sisters named Abby, Amma, and Katelyn. Abby and Amma also grew up to become talented professional musicians.

Music was an important part of Rachel's everyday life from her earliest days. Her family attended church regularly, where her mother sang in the choir and her father served as the musical director. Listening to worship songs, harmonies, and church instruments inspired Rachel to discover her own voice. When she was very young, the family moved to Croydon, a large town in South London, where she attended Woodcote High School.

How Did Raye Learn to Write Music?

Rachel realized she wanted to become a professional recording artist when she was only eight years old. Her father taught her how to play chords and melodies on the piano. Rachel loved experimenting with sounds and matching words to musical patterns. While studying in Year 6 at primary school, she entered a songwriting project. She wrote an original song and was invited to sing it at Southwark Cathedral, a famous historic church in London.

Rachel discovered that creating songs helped her express feelings that were difficult to explain in ordinary speech. She practiced singing every afternoon, filling notebooks with poetry, rhymes, and melodies. Her parents encouraged her dedication and helped her practice playing the piano with both hands.

Studying at the BRIT School

At age 14, Rachel took an exciting step by auditioning for the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. This famous school has educated many superstar performers, including Adele and Amy Winehouse. Rachel worked hard to develop her stage presence and vocal control alongside other ambitious young students.

After two years, Rachel chose to leave the school because she felt ready to enter the professional music world directly. She wanted the freedom to discover her own creative identity. During her mid-teens, she spent nearly every weekend inside professional recording studios across London. She collaborated with different audio engineers, learning how mixing desks work and figuring out how to craft radio-ready hooks.

Early Career in the Music Industry

Raye performing on stage in 2023

In November 2014, when Rachel was 17 years old, she picked the stage name Raye. She independently uploaded her very first extended play collection, called Welcome to the Winter, onto the audio website SoundCloud. She wrote the lyrics, recorded her own vocals, and helped produce all seven songs on the release.

Her talent caught the attention of Olly Alexander, the lead singer of the popular British synth-pop band Years & Years. He discovered her track "Hotbox" on a music blog called Hype Machine. Olly was amazed by her deep, soulful voice and sent the song to the bosses at Polydor Records. The label executives were so impressed that they immediately offered Raye a major recording contract.

Collaborations and Breakthrough Hits

In 2015, Raye released a single called "Alien" featuring the British rapper Avelino. She also recorded an acoustic cover of the Years & Years song "Shine". Olly Alexander was so delighted by her version that he invited Raye to open for his band at the famous Shepherd's Bush Empire theater in London.

During the summer of 2016, Raye released her second EP, titled Second. She teamed up with famous pop artists Noonie Bao and Charli XCX to write an energetic song called "I, U, Us". Charli XCX even directed the colorful music video, which showed Raye having fun with her friends at a roller-skating rink. That same year, Raye provided lead vocals for two massive dance hits: "By Your Side" with producer Jonas Blue and "You Don't Know Me" with Jax Jones. "You Don't Know Me" climbed all the way to number three on the UK singles chart, turning Raye into a household voice across Britain.

Writing Big Hits for Other Musicians

While building her reputation as a singer, Raye became one of the most requested studio songwriters in London. In early 2017, she headlined her own concert at the popular London venue XOYO. She also joined pop star Jess Glynne on a nationwide arena tour. Soon, Raye was writing tracks with Charli XCX, such as the party anthem "After the Afterparty" and the futuristic tune "Dreamer" on the mixtape Number 1 Angel. She even performed on a special remix alongside singer Rita Ora and rapper Stefflon Don.

Raye also appeared in the video for the song "Big For Your Boots" by the famous British grime artist Stormzy. In 2017 and 2018, she released solo singles like "The Line", "Decline" with Nigerian singer Mr Eazi, and "Cigarette" with Mabel and Stefflon Don. Behind the scenes, Raye composed songs for the girl group Little Mix and international superstar John Legend. In June 2018, she sang in front of 80,000 cheering fans at the Summertime Ball concert at Wembley Stadium, organized by the radio station Capital. Raye wrapped up that year by touring across Europe with American singer Halsey.

Overcoming Label Frustrations

Reaching Global Radio Charts

In 2019, Raye's voice spread to international audiences. She worked with Nigerian singer Odunsi the Engine on the track "Tipsy" and teamed up with world-renowned French DJ David Guetta on "Stay (Don't Go Away)". The song became Raye's first number-one track on the American Billboard Dance/Mix Show Airplay radio chart. That same year, she traveled across continents as the special opening act for American singer Khalid on his Free Spirit World Tour.

One of Raye's biggest career milestones arrived in the summer of 2019. Superstar Beyoncé was creating music for the movie soundtrack The Lion King: The Gift. Beyoncé selected a song co-written by Raye called "Bigger" to be the grand opening track of the entire album. BBC News praised Raye, noting that writing for Beyoncé was one of the highest honors a young British songwriter could ever achieve. Later that year, Raye released her heartfelt solo track "Love Me Again" and teamed up with Guetta and Danish producer Morten on the high-energy track "Make It to Heaven".

The Story of Euphoric Sad Songs

In early 2020, Raye scored two more massive dance-floor favorites. She teamed up with Jax Jones and French DJ Martin Solveig on the song "Tequila". Next, she joined Kosovar DJ Regard on "Secrets". The track reached number six in the UK and earned a platinum sales award from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

In November 2020, Raye released an eight-track mini-album titled Euphoric Sad Songs. She explained that the songs walked through the stages of grief, showing how a person can dance through heartbreak and find happiness again. The project included "Natalie Don't", a lively pop song inspired by classic 1970s disco, and "Regardless", a drum-and-bass collaboration with the British band Rudimental.

Taking a Stand for Creative Freedom

In early 2021, Raye joined forces with British DJ Joel Corry and David Guetta to release "Bed". The song was a runaway success, reaching number three on the UK charts and topping the US dance charts. Raye also co-wrote and produced the song "Let Them Know" for British pop singer Mabel.

Despite having written dozens of hit records, Raye faced a frustrating problem. She had dreamed of releasing a full-length debut album since she was a little girl, but Polydor Records repeatedly refused to give her a release date. In June 2021, she released a song titled "Call On Me", which she wrote to encourage her sister. Feeling stuck, Raye decided to speak up publicly on social media about how she was not being allowed to share her debut album.

Musicians and fans from all over the world sent messages supporting her courage. Raye realized that artists should be allowed to share the art they love most. She took a short break to rest and gather her thoughts. Soon after, Raye and Polydor officially agreed to part ways. She walked away from her major record deal to become an independent artist, finally gaining full ownership of her music.

Independent Success and Global Stardom

Raye singing during an intimate concert in Kingston upon Thames in 2023

In mid-2022, Raye signed an agreement with an independent music distribution company called Human Re Sources. This company gave her total creative control, meaning she could decide when to release her music, how her album covers looked, and which songs to put out as singles. Best of all, Raye owned her own master recordings, giving her legal control over how her original recordings are used.

On 30 June 2022, Raye released her first independent single, titled "Hard Out Here". The accompanying video showed an artist breaking free from expectations to express her true self. She followed this with "Black Mascara", an electronic track featuring pulsing synthesizers, and then released a dual single in October featuring "The Thrill Is Gone" and "Escapism", which featured American rapper 070 Shake.

How Did Escapism Become a Global Phenomenon?

"Escapism" tells a cinematic story about trying to run away from painful feelings after a breakup. At first, the song climbed the charts at a steady pace. Then, music fans on social media discovered the song's catchy rhythm and dramatic changes in mood. Thousands of listeners started making their own creative videos using the track.

In January 2023, three months after it came out, "Escapism" climbed all the way to number one on the UK singles chart. It became Raye's very first number-one single as a lead singer in her home country. The song became a massive global hit, entering the top ten on the worldwide Billboard Global 200 chart and crossing over to reach the top twenty on the prestigious United States Billboard Hot 100.

Launching My 21st Century Blues

In February 2023, Raye released her long-awaited debut studio album, My 21st Century Blues. Music reviewers showered the album with praise, admiring Raye's vocal strength, sharp songwriting, and honesty. The record debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and sold tens of thousands of copies within months.

To celebrate, Raye set out on a concert tour called The Story So Far, performing intimate shows in major European and North American cities. She followed this with the larger My 21st Century Blues Tour, which ran for an entire year from early 2023 through February 2024. During this busy period, she also traveled as a special opening guest on stadium tours for Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi, Colombian-American artist Kali Uchis, and American superstar SZA on her SOS Tour.

Raye also brought her music to millions of television viewers, performing live on popular American late-night programs like Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In June 2023, she gave a triumphant performance at the world-famous Glastonbury Festival 2023. Later that summer, Raye collaborated with British producer Cassö and hip-hop group D-Block Europe on the dance song "Prada". The track reached number two on the UK singles chart, stayed at number one on the UK Dance Singles Chart for 31 weeks, and earned a triple-platinum sales award.

Historic Concerts and Symphonic Music

In October 2023, Raye achieved a lifelong musical dream by performing a sold-out concert at London's historic Royal Albert Hall. She was joined on stage by the 50-piece Heritage Orchestra and a gospel choir called the Flames Collective. The orchestral strings, brass horns, and rich vocal harmonies transformed her pop and R&B tracks into grand symphonic arrangements.

The concert was recorded and released as Raye's first live album, titled My 21st Century Symphony (Live at the Royal Albert Hall). Raye explained that hearing classical instruments play melodies she had composed on her piano was one of the happiest moments of her life.

A Record-Breaking Award Season

The Brit Awards Record

In March 2024, Raye attended the Brit Awards 2024 ceremony at London's O2 Arena. Heading into the evening, she had received an astonishing seven nominations, the highest number ever earned by a single artist in one year. During the show, Raye sat at a grand piano and performed a thrilling medley of her biggest hits.

When the trophies were handed out, Raye made history by winning six Brit Awards in a single night. She broke the previous record of four wins in one evening, which had been shared by Blur, Adele, and Harry Styles. Raye took home trophies for:

• British Artist of the Year
• Best New Artist
• Songwriter of the Year (she was the first woman in history to win this award)
• Best R&B Act
• British Album of the Year (for My 21st Century Blues)
• Song of the Year (for "Escapism")

During her acceptance speech for Album of the Year, Raye invited her grandmother Agatha onto the stage to thank her for her love and guidance. The audience responded with a standing ovation.

Television Highlights and Stadium Tours

In early 2024, Beyoncé released her country music-themed album Cowboy Carter, which featured the track "Riiverdance" co-written by Raye. On 6 April 2024, Raye made her debut as the musical guest on the legendary American television sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. She sang "Escapism" and her groovy tune "Worth It", while also previewing a brand-new musical composition.

On 25 May 2024, Raye performed as the main headline act at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend festival in Luton, entertaining thousands of dancing fans. In June, she released "Genesis", an ambitious seven-minute song divided into three musical movements that touched on finding hope amid modern stress. In August 2024, Raye took the stage at Wembley Stadium as an opening act for Taylor Swift on The Eras Tour.

Raye also partnered with British rap star Central Cee on the hit single "Moi", showing her versatility by singing in both English and French. In September 2024, she surprise-released a live mini-album recorded at the famous Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, which featured a cover of the classic 1966 song "It's a Man's Man's Man's World".

Recent Projects: This Music May Contain Hope

In early 2025, Raye performed her dramatic ballad "Oscar Winning Tears" at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, where she was nominated for Best New Artist. Soon after, she sang Adele's Oscar-winning theme song "Skyfall" during a special tribute to the James Bond movies at the 97th Academy Awards.

Raye continued writing music with friends across the industry. She appeared alongside American rapper Doja Cat on the single "Born Again" by Lisa from the K-pop group Blackpink. She also collaborated with acclaimed producer Mark Ronson on the song "Suzanne", and co-wrote songs for American singer Halle Bailey and British star Jade Thirlwall.

Reaching Number One with a Second Studio Album

In June 2025, Raye returned to the Glastonbury Festival and debuted a lively track titled "Where Is My Husband!". When the single was officially released in September 2025, it rocketed to number one on the UK singles chart, giving Raye her second British chart-topping song. It also climbed high on the global charts, becoming her most successful single worldwide.

In early 2026, Raye released two more hit singles: "Nightingale Lane" and "Click Clack Symphony", a collaboration with the Oscar-winning film composer Hans Zimmer. On 27 March 2026, Raye released her second full-length studio album, titled This Music May Contain Hope. The record was an immediate success with critics and listeners, debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart.

To support the release, Raye launched This Tour May Contain New Music, playing 51 concerts across Europe and North America from January to May 2026. Later that year, she joined pop superstar Bruno Mars as a guest performer on his massive worldwide tour, The Romantic Tour. In autumn 2026, Raye was awarded the UK's most prestigious music honor, the Mercury Prize, for This Music May Contain Hope.

Raye's Musical Style and Influences

What Genres Does Raye Sing?

Raye does not like to stay inside a single musical box. Critics and music historians describe her sound as an energetic mix of contemporary R&B, pop music, jazz, soul music, and dance music. She is also known for producing her own backing tracks, arranging complex vocal layers, and building horn sections.

Her second album, This Music May Contain Hope, features an even broader palette of styles. It incorporates elements of blues, gospel music, hip-hop, swing jazz, funk, and even classical chamber music. Raye loves contrasting heavy, modern electronic beats with acoustic instruments like grand pianos, cellos, and trumpets.

Musical Role Models

Raye discovered classic jazz through the legendary recordings of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. As a young girl listening to records with her parents, she fell in love with powerful soul and R&B vocalists like Nina Simone, Jill Scott, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Alicia Keys.

Raye's father introduced her to the upbeat melodies of Stevie Wonder and the Scottish pop band Wet Wet Wet. Raye has also cited legendary jazz singers Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Etta James, and Billie Holiday as major guides for how she delivers lyrics. Modern pop stars such as Lauryn Hill, Lady Gaga, and Christina Aguilera inspired her bold performance style. Many critics compare Raye's rich, smoky voice to Amy Winehouse. Raye considers Winehouse a musical hero whose honesty opened doors for future British singer-songwriters.

Performing Barefoot on Stage

One of Raye's most famous trademarks is performing completely barefoot during her live shows. Whether singing in small clubs or performing on stage at Wembley Stadium, she prefers to take off her shoes. Raye explains that performing barefoot helps her feel grounded, balanced, and comfortable while hitting high notes and moving freely across the stage.

Awards and Honors

Over the course of her career, Raye has won many major awards for singing and songwriting:

• Seven Brit Awards, including a historic single-night sweep of six awards in 2024
• Two Ivor Novello Awards, honoring her excellence in composing lyrics and melodies
• Four Global Awards for radio airplay
• Two MTV Europe Music Awards, including one as part of the charity ensemble Artists for Grenfell
• The Mercury Prize in 2026 for her album This Music May Contain Hope
• The Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2026
• The Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award, presented by The Recording Academy in 2026

Raye was also honored with a prestigious BMI London Award in 2019 for her creative vision and impact on the music industry. She became one of the first artists to receive the Brits Billion Award, which honors musicians whose songs have been streamed over one billion times in the United Kingdom. Raye has won a MOBO Award celebrating music of Black origin and a South Bank Sky Arts Award. In recognition of her cultural influence, Raye was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and chosen as one of the BBC's 100 Women of 2024.

Discography

• My 21st Century Blues (2023)
• This Music May Contain Hope (2026)

Concert Tours

Headlining Tours

• Raye Live 2018 Tour (2018)
• Euphoric Sad Show Tour (2021)
• The Story So Far... Tour (2022)
• My 21st Century Blues Tour (2023–2024)
• This Tour May Contain New Music (2026)

Supporting Other Artists on Tour

• Years & Years – Communion Tour (2015)
• Jess Glynne – Take Me Home Tour (2016)
• Rita Ora – The Girls Tour (2018)
• Halsey – Hopeless Fountain Kingdom Tour (2018)
• Khalid – Free Spirit World Tour (2019)
• Lewis Capaldi – Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent Tour (2023)
• Kali Uchis – Red Moon in Venus Tour (2023)
• SZA – SOS Tour (2023)
• Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour (2024)
• Bruno Mars – The Romantic Tour (2026)

Television Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Raye para niños