In 2021, following a highly public dispute with her old record label, singer-songwriter Raye decided to become an independent artist. Now, she is a UK chart-topper – and is preparing to release her debut album, My 21st Century Blues.
Raye has climbed to the top of the UK singles chart with her first number-one hit as an independent artist after leaving her former record label.
She said, “For someone who puts words together for a career, I’m not sure I have the appropriate words to convey how weird this is.”
Raye is a Brit and Ivor Novello-nominated performer and songwriter whose vocals have been featured on some of the biggest dance hits in recent years, including Jonas Blue’s By Your Side and Jax Jones’s multiplatinum-selling You Don’t Know Me, both in 2016; as well as Secrets, with Regard, in 2020; and Bed, with David Guetta and Joel Corry, in 2021.
Raye’s Escapism hits #1
She has written for artists such as Little Mix, Charlie XCX, David Guetta. And even Beyonce, in addition to being a successful singer in her own right.
Despite being signed in 2014, the British actress claimed in a series of tweets in June 2021 that her company. Polydor, was not allowing her to release her album.
Several weeks later, she announced her separation from the label.
Now, some three months after its initial release and prior chart position of number two. Her electro song Escapism, featuring US rapper 070 Shake, has moved from number 13 to the top of the UK charts due to a viral TikTok trend and massive streaming success.
Raye, whose actual name is Rachel Agatha Keen, told that reaching number one as an independent musician following a challenging year makes her feel “like everything is possible. And I was right to believe in myself.”
She continued, “I’m still trying to make sense of everything since it all seems to have happened so quickly, out of the blue, and separately, which is insane.”
Irony in its most humorous and absurd form.
Not only can she now name herself a chart-topper, but her accomplishment comes just four weeks before her debut album. My 21st Century Blues, is released.
She advised, “Never give up on your dreams.” “For someone who felt so mediocre and… such a letdown for so long. To receive all the confirmation in the world that I was right to support my music is just…”
She added: “It’s also perfect timing for my debut record, which money cannot purchase. That is ludicrous. In all honesty, I believe I’m about to awaken.”
According to her, the purpose of her music was to communicate her tales, regardless of sales. This is the funniest and most ludicrous type of irony that this is the most popular song of my whole career.
In addition to topping the UK charts, Escapism is also the most-played song this week. According to Official Charts, with 5.6 million streams.
With Christmas songs falling off the charts this week, several other songs have risen. Notably Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift, which surged from number 53 to number two.
Swift’s album Midnights has topped the album chart for the fourth nonconsecutive week since its October release.
