In June 2021, South London singer/songwriter Raye finally had enough of the music industry's bullshit. Signed to Polydor Records when she was just 17, the Tooting-born musician had released six EPs, 15 singles, and had co-written songs for Beyonce, Little Mix, Ellie Goulding, Mabel and more, but had yet to be given the opportunity to release a debut album.
On June 29, 2021, she finally snapped.
"I have been on a 4 ALBUM RECORD DEAL since 2014!!!" she tweeted. "And haven't been allowed to put out one album. ALL I CARE ABOUT is the music. Im sick of being slept on and I'm sick of being in pain about it this is not business to me this so personal."
It was no surprise when she parted company with the label the following month. But what might have seemed like career suicide to many in the music industry has proved to be anything but. Independently released in February, My 21st Century Blues, the singer's debut album, hit number 1 in the UK and scored Top 10 chart placings in 22 other countries: it's lead-off single, Escapism, also reached number 1 in the UK.
One can understand then why Rockstar energy drinks thought the singer might be a good fit for a new advertising campaign (Press Play) celebrating - sigh - those moments when you "switch the mood from work to party."
Anyways, one good thing that's come out of this promotional push is that the singer was asked in a recent interview with PopSugar which artists would be in her dream band.
She answered, "Rina Sawayama, Charli XCX, and Ivorian Doll. I feel like that would be a really dope, brilliant rock band."
Speaking about the appeal of rock music, the singer continued, "I do love that energy on stage, that usually you get to feel free and wild and there’s no rules or restrictions and you can just fully let go. But I guess also this thing of just not caring what anyone thinks and just going for it. It’s definitely rockstar energy, and I think we all need a little bit of that in our life."
Wise words. Now, can someone make this group a reality please, because we're very much here for it. Thank you.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, Rina Sawayama has released a powerful new single, Eye For An Eye. The song us taken from the soundtrack to John Wick: Chapter 4, in which Sawayama plays a character called Akira.
