Raye
Rachel Agatha Keen (born 24 October 1997), known professionally as Raye (/reɪ/ RAY), is a British singer-songwriter and record producer. Her music blends elements of jazz, pop, dance, R&B, and soul, and her lyrics frequently address personal experiences and contemporary themes. She signed to Polydor Records in 2014 and first gained recognition in 2016 after featuring on Jonas Blue’s single "By Your Side", which marked her first entry on the UK Singles Chart. That same year, she collaborated with Jax Jones on "You Don't Know Me", which peaked at number three in the UK and was certified triple platinum.
Raye subsequently released several extended plays, including Side Tape (2018), which features the UK top-twenty single "Decline" with Mr Eazi. In 2020, she released the mini-album Euphoric Sad Songs, which was certified silver in the UK and includes the top-ten single "Secrets" with Regard. In 2021, she featured on "Bed" with Joel Corry and David Guetta; the single reached number three in the UK and was certified double platinum. Later that year, she departed from Polydor Records, citing the label’s refusal to release her debut studio album.
In 2022, Raye signed with the artist distribution company Human Re Sources. She independently released her debut studio album, My 21st Century Blues (2023), to critical acclaim. Its third single, "Escapism", became her first UK number-one single and her first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100, while reaching number seven on the Billboard Global 200. In 2023, she was featured on Cassö’s "Prada" alongside D-Block Europe, which reached the top five in multiple countries, including number two in the UK. At the 2024 Brit Awards, she won six awards, including Album of the Year for My 21st Century Blues.
Raye's second studio album, This Music May Contain Hope (2026), received critical acclaim and became her first number-one album on the UK Albums Chart, also topping the charts in four other countries. Its lead single, "Where Is My Husband!", became her second UK number-one single and her highest-charting release on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200, peaking at numbers eleven and six, respectively.
Outside of her own discography, Raye has also co-written songs for other musicians, including Beyoncé, Charli XCX, Ellie Goulding, Jennifer Lopez, and Little Mix. The first female recipient of the Brit Award for Songwriter of the Year, Raye has won seven Brit Awards, four Global Awards, and two Ivor Novello Awards, in addition to nominations for an American Music Award, a Mercury Prize and three Grammy Awards.
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