Raye’s road to success: From school dropout to seven-time BRIT Award nominee – a look back at her journey to fame as she breaks records set by Robbie Williams, Craig David and Gorillaz

Born in Tooting to a Ghanaian-Swiss mother and English father, Raye began singing in 2014 and rose to fame at the age of 19 with an appearance in Jax Jones You Don’t Know Me, which peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart.

The aspiring artist, born Rachel Keen, moved to Croydon and studied at Woodcote High School.

Shen grew up in a church in Croydon, where her father was the musical director and her mother sang in the choir.

At the age of 14, Raye was accepted into the BRIT school where she remained until she was 16.

Shortly afterwards, she dropped out of college, feeling like she was “trapped, even though she had learned a lot.”

The aspiring artist, born Rachel Keen, moved to Croydon and began studying at Woodcote High School before attending the BRIT School for two years.

“I was there for two years and learned a lot… but no one there liked pop music,” she told the BBC. “They’re all cool, underground, indie artists. I felt limited.’

In 2017 she was shortlisted for the BBC Music Sound of… award, finishing in third place.

She then won the ASCAP London Music Awards in 2018 and was nominated for a BRIT Award for her single You Don’t Know Me.

In June 2021, Raye revealed that her record label, Polydor Records, had delayed her debut album for several years and she was taking a break.

She told her then 50,000 followers on Twitter: ‘I have had a record deal for four albums since 2014. And I haven’t been able to release a single album yet.’

A month later, the singer announced that she had left Polydor Records and started working as an independent artist.

After releasing her single Ice Cream Man in 2023, Raye shared her experience of being sexually assaulted by a music producer who pushed his hand between her legs when she was 17 years old.

When she performed on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury last year, she paused between singing the song and said: ‘This next song is about sexual abuse, rape and sexual violence. And I know that’s hard, okay.

In 2017 she was shortlisted for the BBC Music Sound of… award, finishing in third place

In June 2021, Raye revealed that her record label, Polydor Records, had delayed her debut album for several years and she was taking a break.

‘But I also know that one in four men and women will experience this in their lives. So I know I’m not alone when I sing this today.”

Last year she said in an interview with Cosmopolitan that she still regularly suffers from panic attacks and PTSD.

“When I think about the panic attacks, the PTSD … you realize that someone’s actions become a burden that you have to carry, and there’s nowhere to put that other than a therapy session,” she said.

“Every girl I know in this industry has a story to tell me. The studio is such a vulnerable space.

“And if you say something, you create an enemy that spreads rumors or blacklists you – and you need those connections to open doors for yourself.

‘Even though people largely determine what is consumed outside, the music industry is still a closed society.’

In January last year, her single ‘Escapism’ reached UK number one and became a big hit on social media platform TikTok.

In January last year, her single ‘Escapism’ went to number one in Britain and became a big hit on the social media platform TikTok.

And in February, she later released her studio album My 21st Century Blues, which was written and produced by herself. The album was number one on the charts for over a week.

This year she has been nominated for seven BRIT awards, the most for which any artist has ever been nominated.

Last year the singer was nominated for any BRITS and in 2022 she was nominated for Best Dance Act.

Raye now shines as one of the brightest stars on the contemporary music scene, with seven top 20 singles, 33 million monthly listeners on Spotify, an Ivor Novello Award, multiple Brit Award nominations and a track record of writing for the biggest names from the industry.

Speaking about her BRIT nominations this year, she said the industry saw her as ‘down and out’.

‘It’s a miracle, it runs deep. A year and a half ago I was down and out as far as the industry was concerned and in my wildest dreams I would never want to try again and it would lead to seven BRIT nominations.

‘I’m a British kid, I went to BRIT’s School and this was the goal. The ultimate goal was to somehow find my way to the Brit Awards.

‘This is something completely different. It is a joke. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.’

Raye is the most nominated British woman in the history of the BRIT Awards, after receiving seven nominations on Wednesday.

The London-born singer broke records on Wednesday with seven nominations, the most received by any female artist, following the release of her highly anticipated debut album, My 21st Century Blues.

This year’s BRIT Awards are live on ITV on March 2 at 8pm.

BRIT AWARDS 2024 – THE COMPLETE NOMINATIONS

SONG OF THE YEAR

Calvin Harris miracle

Casso x RAYE-Prada

Central Cee – Let go

Dave Sprinter

Dua Lipa – Dance the night

Ed Sheeran – Eyes closed

J Hus – Who told you

Kenya Grace – Strangers

Lewis Capaldi – Wish you the best

Pink Panther – Boy is a liar

RAYE – Escapism

Rudimental – Dancing is healing

Stormzy – Firebae

Switch Disco – Respond

Venebee – Messy in Heaven

BEST NEW ARTIST

Mahalia

Olivia Dean

Pink Panther

RAYE

Yuseff Dayes

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Arlo Parks

Central Cee

Daaf

Dua Lipa

Fred again…

J Hus

Jessie Ware

Little Simz

Olivia Dean

RAYE

GROUP OF THE YEAR

Fade

Pursuit and status

Headie One and K-Trap

Jungle

Young fathers

INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Blink 182

Boygenius

Foo Fighters

Gabriels

Paramore

DANCE ACT

Barry can’t swim

Becky Hill

Calvin Harris

Fred again…

Romy
R&B ACT

Cleo Sol

Jorja Smid

Mahalia

RAYE

Sault

ALTERNATIVE ROCK

Fade

Bring me the horizon

The rolling stones

Young fathers

Yusseff Dayes

HIP HOP/GRIME/RAP ACT

CASSIE DEATH

Central Cee

Daaf

J Hus

Little Simz

POPACT

Calvin Harris

Charli XCX

Dua Lipa

Olivia Dean

RAYE

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST

Asake

Burna boy

Caroline Polachek

CMAT

Kylie Minogue

Lana del Rey

Miley Cyrus

Olivia Rodrigo

SZA

Taylor Swift

INTERNATIONAL SONG OF THE YEAR

Billie Eilish – What was I made for

David Kushner – Daylight

Doja Cat – Paint the town red

Jazzy – gives me

Libyanca – People

Meghan Trainer – Make yourself look

Miley Cyrus – Flowers

Noah Kahan – Stick Season

Oliver Tree – I miss you

Olivia Rodrigo – Vampire

Peggy Gou – It goes like this

Rema – Calm down

SZA – Kill Bill

Tate McRae – Greedy –

Tyla – Water

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Blur – Darren’s ballad

J Hus – Beautiful

Little Simz – No thanks

RAYE – My 21st century blues

Young fathers – heavy heavy

BRITISH RISING STAR

Caity Baser

Sekou Island

The Last Dinner (Winner)