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Who is Raye, the collaborator of Beyoncé and Charli xcx performing live in Paris?
The 27-year-old British singer, songwriter, and performer Raye, who recently collaborated with Beyoncé on Cowboy Carter and took to the stage at Coachella, is finally stepping into the spotlight. After receiving her very first Grammy nominations in 2025, the artist is set to perform at the Lollapalooza festival in Paris this Sunday, July 20th, 2025. A career full of trial and error, a velvet-like voice… Here’s why we love Raye.
By Erwann Chevalier.
Raye, the British artist behind Beyoncé and Charli XCX
You might not know her yet, but Rachel Keen, aka Raye, is the sharp pen behind many hit songs like Home With You (2018) by Madison Beer. She took the Coachella stage for the first time in 2024 and earned multiple nominations at the 2025 Grammy Awards. A major milestone for the singer of Escapism, who was nominated for “Best New Artist” and “Best Songwriter.”
Indeed, the 27-year-old British singer-songwriter began her career in the shadows of some of the most iconic pop stars of our generation.
Raye recently shared on Instagram with emotion that she had co-written the brilliant track Riiverdance from Beyoncé’s latest album Cowboy Carter (2024). She had also previously penned songs for Charli xcx, John Legend, Little Mix, and Ellie Goulding.
On Sunday 20th of July, the artist will take the stage of the Lollapalooza music festival at the Hippodrome ParisLongchamp in France. It will mark a long-awaited comeback to a French stage. Indeed, she hasn’t performed in the country since she opened for SZA in 2023…
An artist with a rocky path
Raye didn’t have an easy start to her career. Influenced by Nina Simone, the singer has a love for R&B, jazz, and blues. She first gained recognition in the late 2010s. Thanks to collaborations on very commercial dance hits like You Don’t Know Me (2017) by Jax Jones or By Your Side (2017) by Jonas Blue. A misunderstanding that would take time to fade…
The Londoner is often compared to Amy Winehouse – both of them attended the prestigious Brit School. She then signed to Polydor Records, but eventually left the label in 2021. The singer wasn’t satisfied with the position they gave her.
That year, Raye spoke out on X (formerly Twitter) to denounce how tightly the label controlled her work. “I have had albums on albums of music sat in folders collecting dust. Songs I am now giving away to A list artists because I am still awaiting confirmation that I am good enough to release an album. (…) I’ve been waiting for this day for seven years, and I’m still waiting,” she said.
My 21st Century Blues, a debut album acclaimed by the critics and the public
Today, Raye is a true sensation, winning over the hearts of millions of fans and earning accolades at the 2023 Brit Awards. She broke records by taking home six awards in seven categories in a single night, even surpassing artists like Adele and Harry Styles.
Truth be told, her opus My 21st Century Blues (2023) is a resounding success. It features the hit Escapism (2023) featuring rapper 070 Shake, which went viral on TikTok and cleverly blends pop, R&B, electro, and blues. As for her lyrics, Raye dives into crucial and deeply personal themes, such as sexism, insecurity, and body image. Above all, her catchy melodies are enhanced by her soulful, moving voice, which captivates as much as her pin-up aesthetic.
My 21st Century Blues (2023) by Raye, available now.
