02 March 2024 , 17:00
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As well as breaking industry records for her hugely successful music, Raye has faced devastating personal battles that she documents in her work.
Croydon-raised singer Raye will take to the stage at this year’s BRIT Awards, where she has also broken records as the most nominated artist ever in a single year with seven BRIT nominations including Artist of the Year and Mastercard Album of the Year. On top of that she has been given her first ever BRIT being named Songwriter of the Year before the ceremony takes place - an accolade she said she was "so honoured and blown away" by.
The talented star’s glittering career is flying but behind the scenes she has faced huge personal struggles that she has opened up about in her music. The 26 year old, who attended the BRITs school in Croydon from the age of 14 but quit two years later as she felt "confined", has enjoyed an incredible comeback after breaking away from Polydor Records in 2021. She's previously spoken candidly about her "deep, dangerous" battle with drugs, and experiences of abuse.
Raye's 2022 track Escapism, which features US rapper 070 Shake, explores unhealthy ways of escaping reality after heartbreak, including drug use. Opening up about her own experiences during an interview with BBC News Raye, whose real name is Rachel Agatha Keen, shared: "When you keep things in like that, they eat away at you from the inside. And for me, sadly, substance abuse was entangled with numbing the trauma that I had experienced. I got pretty deep in and it got really dangerous at one point."
Raye has faced battles with her body image (Instagram)
Raye's career is going from strength to strength (PA)London-born Raye, who has also written and produced for the likes of Beyonce and Ellie Goulding, went on to share that she had turned to drugs and alcohol after her label reportedly refused to release her debut album, leaving her feeling as though her career was stalling. She continued: "It was around the height of my dance-pop [hits]. I was having to go out there and be this happy pop character when, in reality, I was processing this unaddressed trauma and coping with an immense amount of pressure. Sprinkle a bit of heartbreak on there and it's a recipe for disaster. I was just lost. It was a really sad time."
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Raye performing at the Royal Albert Hall (RAYE/Instagram)Last year Raye headlined a sold-out concert at the Royal Albert Hall and one performance in particular attracted huge praise for the courage it took to carry out. Singing her track Body Dysmorphia, Raye stripped off to her underwear to highlight her struggles with body image. Lyrics from the song include: "So hungry, I can’t sleep, but I know if I eat then I’ll be in the bathroom on my knees."
She spoke to Yahoo about her battles with her own body image and how her art has helped her: "I can be so open on stage about my experience with eating disorders and body dysmorphia. It’s actually a beautiful thing, to find this way of articulating it. Self love is one of the hardest things to achieve. I’m working on it every day."
When it comes to love, Raye has kept her romances private but there were rumours in 2018 that she was dating rapper Drake after she reached out to him on Twitter to send him one of her songs. He was previously one of her biggest musical influences and they went into the studio together to work on some records when it’s thought love blossomed.
Drake was thought to be dating Raye in 2018 (Getty Images)"He was clearly impressed by her songwriting talents," an insider told the Sun at the time. "When they met to record, it quickly became obvious it wasn’t just her music he was interested in.
"It’s early days but the pair have already been out on a string of dates, with Drake taking her to his favourite restaurant, Nobo Berkeley in central London."
After her brief dalliance with Drake, it was rumoured she hit it off with fellow musician Sam Fender in 2022 and went on a few secret dates with him, although she never confirmed it. Raye is currently thought to be single.
The BRITs 2024 takes place on Saturday March 2 and will be broadcast on ITV and ITVX from 8.30pm.
The NHS offers advice and where to get help if you've been a victim of rape or sexual abuse. For anyone suffering with an eating disorder, Beat Eating Disorders can help you find support in your local area.
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