To mark what promises to be a historic night in music — with a lineup including JADE, Doechii, and TYLA — we’re taking a look back at RAYE’s extraordinary career so far.
She released her debut EP ‘Welcome to Winter’ on SoundCloud at just 17. Discovered by Olly Alexander (Years & Years), who passed her music to Polydor, RAYE signed with the label shortly after. Her first major label release came two years later with the ‘Second’ EP in August 2016.
What followed were years of chart-topping singles and high-profile songwriting credits — contributing to hits for the likes of Charli XCX, Little Mix, Jax Jones, Rudimental, David Guetta, Mabel, and more. Despite this success, Polydor repeatedly delayed her debut album, and in 2021, after years of frustration, RAYE parted ways with the label.
She returned stronger than ever. Her first independent single, ‘Hard Out Here’, dropped in June 2022, followed by ‘Black Mascara’ and the viral breakout ‘Escapism.’ These tracks formed the heart of her long-awaited debut studio album, ‘My 21st Century Blues’, released in February 2023. The album peaked at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart, received critical acclaim, and earned RAYE her first UK and Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 with ‘Escapism.’
By the end of the year, the album had sold over 60,000 copies in the UK alone. She’d opened for Lewis Capaldi and SZA, and sold out shows across the world. Her Royal Albert Hall live album, ‘My 21st Century Symphony’, captured the magnitude of her artistic evolution — backed by the Heritage Orchestra and the Flames Collective. In June 2024, she released ‘Genesis’, a bold, genre-defying three-act single that once again pushed creative boundaries, followed by a support slot on Taylor Swift’s iconic Eras Tour and the release of a second live album, recorded at Montreux Jazz Festival.
RAYE’s accolades include seven BRIT Awards (including a record-breaking six in one night), four Global Awards, two Ivor Novellos, two MTV Europe Music Awards, as well as three Grammy nominations. From the Mercury Prize shortlist to BRIT Songwriter of the Year, her recognition is matched only by her resilience.
After a decade in the industry, RAYE’s story is one of perseverance, power, and artistic triumph. She refused to let industry roadblocks dim her light — and now she’s headlining one of London’s biggest festivals on her own terms. All Points East is not just another show — it’s a celebration of everything she’s fought for, and that will be felt by fans and industry alike.
RAYE will headline All Points East in Victoria Park, London, on 23rd August 2025.
