Get music star RAYE on your gaylist

January 18, 2023 Queer Forty Staff 2 min read

The comparisons to Amy Winehouse and Adele are plentiful, but if you already like the sound of that you need to check out multi-platinum independent pop star RAYE.

Already one of the most streamed artists in the world, RAYE is about to unleash her long-awaited debut album, My 21st Century Blues on February 3, 2023.

Pre-order here.

RAYE’s highly anticipated record includes her current smash hit single “Escapism.” (feat. 070 Shake) in addition to previously released tracks like “Black Mascara”, “Hard Out Here.”, and “The Thrill Is Gone.” Watch her perform “The Thrill Is Gone” live on The Graham Norton Show:

The deeply personal 13-song body of work draws on RAYE’s painful experiences from her adventures in the music industry, to sexual abuse, rape, body dysmorphia, addiction, misogyny, and even climate change. Plus, there are new tracks: “Buss It Down,” “Ice Cream Man”, and “Five Star Hotels” with UK alt-R&B vocalist Mahalia.

It’s been a year since RAYE, the mononym for South Londoner Rachel Keen, blew up her career in order to rebuild it. Frustrated at the fact she’d been continually denied the chance to release her debut album by her then major label — despite more than 25 million monthly Spotify listeners, 7 top 20 UK singles, and 4 Brit Award nominations to her name, plus songwriting credits that have clocked more than 3.5 billion global streams for other chart-topping acts like Beyoncé, John Legend, Little Mix and Charli XCX.

Now, with My 21st Century Blues completed and proper infrastructure in place to capitalize on her extensive experience as a hit-maker, RAYE is ready to launch stage two of her career and build out her discography.

Brought up in a musical household (her dad and grandad were both songwriters), RAYE knew from an early age that she would carry on this songwriting lineage. At 14 years old, RAYE decided she wanted to attend the Brit School, the creative hothouse that had helped shape the likes of Adele and Amy Winehouse, but left two years later to jump start her career. That same year she released the independently-funded, blissed out Welcome To Winter EP on Soundcloud.

Stay tuned for more news from RAYE and pre-order her upcoming debut album My 21st Century Blues available on February 3, 2023.

Raye’s tour dates are here.