Raye beats record for highest number of Brit Award wins in one year
British singer-songwriter Raye has made Brit Awards history after picking up six wins at this year’s ceremony tonight.
The 26-year-old Londoner walked away with the gongs for album and artist of the year, as well as best new artist and song of the year for Escapism, featuring US rapper 070 Shake.
She was also named songwriter of the year prior to the ceremony, and was named winner of the R&B act category following a public vote on Instagram.
Among the other winners was 55-year-old Australia pop superstar Kylie who picked up the global icon award and Dua Lipa who won best pop act.
American singer Miley Cyrus won international song of the year for her track Flowers, while Sza has won the international artist of the year.
Visibly crying as she collected the album of the year prize, her sixth of the night, Raye said: “You just don’t understand what this means to me.”
She added: “Is this happening right now? I’m so sorry… I’m ugly crying on national television.
“I’m so proud of this album. All I wanted was to be an artist.”
Raye toasted her hugely successful evening with a lively performance towards the end of the ceremony, which included a rendition of her song Prada that was backed by a band and gospel choir.
Raye’s history-making night comes after the singer, real name Rachel Keen, delivered a show-stopping performance on the main stage at Glastonbury last summer and received a Mercury Prize nod for My 21st Century Blues.
But the Brit School graduate has been climbing her way through the ranks for many years, having signed to Polydor Records as a teenager.
She later lent her vocals to top five hits by David Guetta and Jax Jones and wrote lyrics for Beyonce and Rihanna.
Despite her obvious talent, her solo work did not reach the same heights and in 2021 she expressed frustration at her label not letting her release her debut album yet.
In a series of posts to X, formerly Twitter, she wrote: “Imagine this pain. I have been signed to a major label since 2014… and 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.”
She said she had “done everything” they asked her to do, including switching genres and working long weeks.
“I’m done being a polite pop star. I want to make my album now, please that is all I want,” she said.
She was later released from her contract and struck out as an independent artist.
She told the Sunday Times she was resentful of the music industry executives who took advantage of her youth.
She said: “When you’re young your mind is malleable, your opinions not always your own.
“As a kid in this industry I had horrible paranoia and insecurity projected on to me. I was told to fear all of the women doing well at the time, like we were competition.
“Apparently there was only one seat at the table and I had to fight to make it mine. That was such a confusing narrative for me.”
She credits Charli XCX with changing her outlook. She told the newspaper: “She took time out of her busy schedule to direct a music video for me.
“She invited me to her home in the countryside and we sang into hairbrushes in the mirror, with her giving me tips on how to perform. I remember being in the car (going) back, realising that everything I had been told by men in music was a lie.”
She added: “It is a fantastic time to be a female artist,” she says. “The support among women is great. Instead of being insecure about each other, we’re in awe of each other.
“What Taylor Swift has done by re-recording her albums is so inspiring. That’s a ton of hard work to get her rights back. Music contracts can be brutal and they are never in favour of the creatives.”
After picking up her award Kylie said that “there’s a part of me that’s the 14-year-old girl in the room dreaming of making music” and told music students that she feels their “promise” as well.
“I love you, and I will always love you, you have my heart.”
The singer then performed a medley of her hit songs with three separate costume reveals.
Full list of Brit Awards 2024 winners
Brits Rising Star – The Last Dinner Party
Mastercard Album of the Year – Raye: My 21st Century Blues
Artist of the Year – Raye
Group of the Year – Jungle
Best New Artist – Raye
Song Of the Year – Escapism from Raye ft 070 Shake
International Artist of the Year – Sza
International Group of the Year – Boygenius
International Song of the Year – Miley Cyrus: Flowers
Producer of the Year: Chase & Status
Songwriter: Raye
Genre Categories:
Alternative/Rock Act: Bring Me The Horizon
Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act: Casisdead
Dance: Calvin Harris
Pop Act: Dua Lipa
R&B Act: Raye
In a red latex style dress, echoing the music video for Padam Padam, she performed that dance-pop hit before going into a black and white outfit for Can’t Get You Out Of My Head and finishing in an all-white ensemble for Love At First Sight.
Due Lipa also picked up the the first ever Brit Award for R&B act, which is voted for by the public via Instagram.
After her win Cyrus sent a video message to her fans saying: “Thank you for giving me somewhere to wear this dress,” she said while paying tribute to fans for enjoying the upbeat hit track, about break-ups, “throughout the world”.
Cyrus added that the message was “short”, like her clothing.
The hip hop/grime/rap act Brit Award was handed to Casisdead, while Calvin Harris won best dance act. He kissed his wife Vick Hope as his name was announced and his collaborator Ellie Goulding stood up and cheered.
Accepting the prize, he said: “Ellie, I wouldn’t be on this stage this year if it wasn’t for you, what you brought to Miracle was unbelievable.
“I couldn’t have done it with anybody else in this room.”
He also offered his thanks to “my beautiful wife”.
Among the other winners were drum and bass duo Chase & Status,, whose real names are made up of Saul Milton and Will Kennard, who picked up the producer of the year gong.
“This is surreal, we never thought we’d be up here,” Saul said.
“We’re proud to represent British music… but mostly we’re proud to represent drum and bass,” Will adds.
Additional reporting by Press Association.
