RAYE releases an orchestral version of 'My 21st Century Blues'
She's also shared a performance of 'Oscar Winning Tears'
Earlier this year, when RAYE released her debut album 'My 21st Century Blues', featuring her hit 'Escapism', she had huge support from the Little Mix girls and Jax Jones. Now the singer has released an orchestral version of her album, which she said is the 'most magnificent thing' she's created.
The new album, which sees her accompanied by the Heritage Orchestra and Flames Collective, a 30-piece gospel choir, sees RAYE's album brought to life in a whole new way.
Announcing the release of her album, RAYE took to Instagram, writing: 'This orchestral album is probably the most magnificent thing I have ever created. I hope you dive into this album on a long drive, a rainy day, a walk in the park or where ever you might desire to digest it 🥹'.
Fans have been loving the new take on RAYE's album, with one fan writing: 'Dare I say the orchestra version of this album changed my life?!', another wrote: 'The arrangements in this are PHENOMENAL!! God damn. Please release an LP of this I beg! Also we need that whole video. Praying it will get released at some point. Absolute legend x'. (sic)
RAYE has now also released the video of her performance of 'Oscar Winning Tears', at the Royal Albert Hall. You can watch her performance below...
WARNING: This video contains strong language
Last year, RAYE released her massive viral hit 'Escapism', and this year she's had several hits including her current song 'Prada' with Cassö and D-Block Europe.
Take a look through RAYE's amazing career:
Before 2014: RAYE
RAYE loved performing from an early age, revealing in an interview that she wanted to be a singer from the age of eight. She attended the prestigious BRIT School, but decided to leave. She explained in an interview with the BBC: "I did two years and learned an extensive amount... but nobody there liked pop music. It's all cool, underground, indie artists. I felt confined. I was ready to get out."
2014: RAYE released 'Welcome to the Winter'
RAYE released her debut EP 'Welcome to the Winter' in December 2014. She also released 'Flowers' and 'Alien' from her EP.
2016: RAYE released 'I, U, Us'
After noticing her vocals on 'Welcome to the Winter', Charli XCX worked with RAYE on 'I, U, Us', directing her music video. RAYE later worked with Charli co-writing her song 'After The Afterparty'.
2016: Jonas Blue released 'By Your Side' featuring RAYE
'By Your Side' gave RAYE her first bit of true chart success as the song with Jonas Blue gets to Number 15 in the UK. It was the third single on Jonas' debut album 'Blue'.
2016: Jax Jones and RAYE released 'You Don't Know Me"
Following her collab with Jonas Blue, RAYE had huge success with Jax Jones on 'You Don't Know Me', which reached Number 3 in the UK.
2017: RAYE released 'Decline' with Mr Eazi
RAYE had even more chart success in 2017 - this time, for the first time, as a lead artist. She released 'Decline' with Mr Eazi and the song reached Number 15 in the UK.
2018: RAYE writes songs for Little Mix's 'LM5' album
RAYE proved she isn't just a talented singer, she's also a great songwriter. The artist worked on Little Mix's album 'LM5' saying: "The Little Mix album, I've been writing for that. For every 10 guys there's one girl, everywhere you go." She went on to explain that it's important for girls to support each other in the music industry.
2019: RAYE wrote a song for Beyoncé's album 'The Gift'
Beyoncé starred in the live-action remake of the classic film, The Lion King, and also recorded an album 'The Gift' to accompany the film. The very talented RAYE worked on one of the tracks for 'The Gift'. Speaking about the experience, RAYE said: "She adores the song, we really got on like a house on fire which is absolutely nuts because that's my idol."
2020: RAYE released 'Euphoric Sad Songs'
RAYE released her debut mini-album 'Euphoric Sad Songs' in November 2020. The album included 'Secrets' with Regard and 'Regardless' with Rudimental.
2020: Regard and RAYE released 'Secret'
Kosovo Albanian DJ Regard and RAYE teamed up for 'Secrets' in 2020. This summer anthem was a hit in the UK reaching the Top 10. 'Secrets' gave RAYE her first BRIT Award nomination in 2021 for British Single.
2021: RAYE at Magnum's Show Your Layers event
RAYE performed her song 'Call On Me' at Magnum's Show Your Layers event. This was the first time the singer had performed her song live.
2021: RAYE is nominated for two BRIT Awards
RAYE teamed up with dance DJ legend David Guetta and Joel Corry on dancefloor banger, 'Bed'. The song was a commercial success for the trio reaching Number 3 in the UK. The song was also nominated at the 2022 BRIT Awards for Song of the Year, but lost out to Adele's 'Easy On Me'. RAYE was also nominated for Best Dance Act at the BRITs.
2022: RAYE confirms she's nearly finished her album
RAYE had posted a couple of times in 2022 saying that her album is close to being done. One post read: 'Finishing this album and having a good bloody time. I am bursting to share this next chapter w u' (sic) accompanied by several photos and videos showing the singer having fun.
October 2022: Debut album release date
RAYE well and truly amped up the excitement for her debut album as she dropped the all-important release date! The singer delighted fans as she revealed that her debut album 'My 21st Century Blues' would be released on 3rd February 2023. The album includes huge tracks such as 'Hard Out Here', 'Black Mascara' and 'Escapism'.
November 2022: RAYE announces her tour
The singer delighted her fans as she announced that she would be taking her debut album on tour in 2023! Announcing the dates on Instagram, she wrote: 'I am thrilled to announce the most special tour of my career so far, My 21st Century Blues tour 🎻❤️🩹🔓🔑 #m21cb'.
December 2022: 'Escapism'
Serving as RAYE's third single from her debut album, it's fair to say that 'Escapism' was a HUGE hit with fans. With the track also taking over fans' For You Pages on TikTok, it quickly shot to the Number 2 spot in the UK Chart. The track also gave RAYE her first ever Number 1 in Ireland!
Dominating TikTok, RAYE took to her own TikTok account to thank fans. Sharing a clip showing the song climbing its way up the charts, she wrote: 'look at what TikTok did What you did in 5 days 😳😳😳😳' (sic).
A sped up version of the track also went viral on the app, with RAYE joking: 'does the sped up version low-key slap more ?' (sic).
January 2023: Opening for Lewis Capaldi
In January 2023, RAYE announced the exciting news that she would be opening shows on Lewis Capaldi's UK arena tour. Sharing the news on Instagram, she revealed that she would be performing tracks from her upcoming album as she opened the shows.
She gushed: 'The lovely man @lewiscapaldi is kindly letting me open his UK arena tour, I get to sing you some songs from my album on these huge stages just before it's released 🥹🫀 I am so grateful for this opportunity thanks Lewis ♥️ xxx'.
February 2023: RAYE released her debut album
RAYE revealed the 15 tracks which would be on her debut album in January 2023. The songs include her songs 'Hard Out Here', 'Black Mascara' and the viral hit 'Escapism' .
She then released the album on 3rd February receiving support from Little Mix's Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock who encouraged fans to buy it.
June 2023: RAYE performs at Glastonbury
In June 2023, RAYE took to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury to perform a powerful nine-song set. Opening with 'Oscar Winning Tears', she went on to sing tracks from her debut album including 'Ice Cream Man', 'Mary Jane' and 'Five Star Hotels', before closing with huge tracks 'You Don't Know Me' and the sensational 'Escapism'.
September 2023: RAYE announced for Louis Theroux Interviews
The exciting news dropped on 20th September 2023 that RAYE was set to feature on the second season of Louis Theroux Interviews. As per the title, the series sees Louis interview celebrities across the worlds of sport, entertainment and global affairs, exploring their lives and careers so far, including those at pivotal moments in their careers.
BBC Factual wrote: 'In South London Louis meets the newly-independent singer and songwriter, Raye. In a pivotal year that has seen her winning an Ivor Novello and nominated for a Mercury Music Prize, Louis and Raye unpack her journey from her record label split, to her number one single 'Escapism', and a new artistic freedom. Louis also takes to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury to watch the 25-year-old musician as she marks this new chapter with one of her biggest performances yet.'
October 2023: RAYE releases an orchestral version of her debut album
RAYE released an orchestral version of her debut album 'My 21st Century Blues'. The singer was accompanied by the Heritage Orchestra and Flames Collective, a 30-piece gospel choir on the album.
January 2024: RAYE received seven BRIT Award nominations
RAYE received seven BRIT Award nominations in January 2024. She broke the record for the most nominations in one year by a single artist, including a nomination in the highly coveted Mastercard Album of the Year category.
February 2024: MOBO Award win
RAYE won her first MOBO Award at the ceremony in February 2024, taking home the gong for Best Female Act and beating competition from the likes of Flo, Jorja Smith, Little Simz, Mahalia and PinkPantheress. As she was on tour at the time, she couldn't make it - but sent in a video message where she thanked her family and expressed how sad she was that she couldn't be there in person.
March 2024: RAYE picks up six BRIT Awards
RAYE picked up a massive (record-breaking) six BRIT Awards in March 2024. The singer won Song of the Year with Mastercard ('Escapism'), R&B Act, Best New Artist, Songwriter of The Year, Artist of the Year, Mastercard Album of The Year ('My 21st Century Blues').
Now read:
RAYE: From BRIT school to huge hits like 'Escapism'
Little Mix girls support RAYE with the release of her debut album
How an email to David Guetta ended up with a collab with Joel Corry and RAYE 🙌