RAYE Unveils Genre-Defying New Work 'Genesis'

Fresh from her record-breaking wins at The BRITs, global sensation RAYE returns with the genre-defying “Genesis.”, a work that doesn't sit within the usual confines of the word “single.” 

Produced with multiple GRAMMY Award winner Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins (Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, SZA), “Genesis.” is a new three act opus from RAYE and a masterclass in disrupting music as we know it. Drawing a parallel through storytelling the origins of her universe, RAYE elevates her emotionally raw and vulnerable lyrics with triumphant strings and horns, dulcet harmonies and emboldened snare, into a pitch perfect performance that is a divine battle cry.

“Genesis.” is a confrontational acknowledgement of a chapter not yet closed but with a set intention for a new beginning, drawing inspirations from big band, jazz, hip-hop, R&B, gospel and contemporary pop. Out of darkness comes light and with this new chapter, a musical renaissance is on the horizon.

RAYE says: “There is a Nina Simone quote, ‘It is an artist's duty to reflect the times’. This quote is everything to me and I believe the best way I can try to do this is through my art and my music. There is so much darkness and pain in this world we live in, and I wanted to create something both as deeply personal and as raw as I could find myself to be about my own mind and the world I see around me. The song is a 7-minute piece that I have crafted and scrutinized over the last year and a half, experimenting with different genres and sonic expressions, beneath all the layers and the lyrics, the underlying message is ‘Let There Be Light’. It is a prayer and a plea and a cry for help and I really hope this song will be able to bring some hope, the way this music does for me, to those who need it most.”

RAYE made history by clinching an unprecedented six BRIT Awards this year – the record for the most wins of any artist in a single year – marking a groundbreaking achievement for the independent singer-songwriter at Britain’s biggest night in music. In addition to becoming the first female to ever win Songwriter of the Year, she also took home accolades, including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist, and Best R&B Act. RAYE gave a career-defining performance at the ceremony, performing a medley of songs off her critically acclaimed debut album.

RAYE also recently picked up the prestigious Songwriter of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards 2024 and three awards at this year’s The Global Awards, including Best Pop and Best British Act, while her collaboration with Cassö and D-Block Europe on “PRADA” won Best Song. This spring saw RAYE make her lauded debut at Coachella, attend her first MET Gala wearing custom Fendi, be named to TIME Magazine’s “Next Generation Leaders” list, and earn a Best International Act nomination at the upcoming BET Awards 2024. Additionally, RAYE gave a breakthrough rendition of “Genesis.” on Saturday Night Live, which saw My 21st Century Blues skyrocket into the Top 10 of US iTunes.

About RAYE

British singer-songwriter RAYE shines as one of the brightest stars in music today, boasting eight Top 20 UK singles, 5 Billion global Spotify streams, and a track record of writing for the industry’s biggest names. Since her debut in 2014, RAYE has undergone a remarkable journey to stardom. Her long-awaited independent debut album, My 21st Century Blues, made an immediate impact reaching No. 2 on the UK Official Albums Chart. As a welcome result of her self-fulfilling work, RAYE unknowingly created the song that became synonymous with 2023 “Escapism.”

“Escapism.” not only became the largest selling single by a female British artist in 2023, but it also earned RAYE her first UK No. 1 and entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US where it’s since been certified Double Platinum. Following support tours with Lewis Capaldi, Kali Uchis, and SZA, RAYE performed 130 headline shows including a rousing set at Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage. Her career-defining turn at The Royal Albert Hall – accompanied by a 50-person orchestra and gospel choir – received a televised BBC special for the ages with critics heralding RAYE as “the most talented artist since Adele and Amy Winehouse” (The Telegraph). This year, RAYE again performed her “My 21st Century Symphony” to a sold-out crowd of 20,000 at The O2 Arena. After playing and owning the pop game, RAYE bet on herself and won.

In the last year, she has also graced the cover of magazines such as Elle, Sunday Times Culture, GQ, Cosmopolitan, Wonderland, Bricks, Euphoria, Time Out and DIY and been featured in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, TIME Magazine, Pitchfork, V Magazine, NPR Music, People, Vulture, and many more. Globally, RAYE’s season of high profile television performances this year include Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Later… with Jools Holland, and The Graham Norton Show in addition to a captivating appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series.

Photo credit: KAPFHAMMER

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