RAYE had already written and featured on some of the biggest pop and dance tracks of the 2010s. What she didn't have was the right to release her own album. When she finally spoke out about being stuck in a deal that wouldn't let her put out the music she believed in, the industry took notice. When she went independent and dropped My 21st Century Blues, the world listened.
"Escapism" became a global smash; the album was raw, personal and unfiltered. At the BRITs she won six awards in one night - a record - and used the stage to talk about abuse, addiction and survival. It wasn't just a comeback; it was a blueprint. Artists don't have to choose between commercial success and creative control. They can fight for both.
The long road to independence
RAYE - Rachel Keen - had been in the industry for years before most people knew her name. She'd written for Beyoncé, Little Mix and others; she'd featured on hits with Jax Jones, Joel Corry and David Guetta. But her own solo career was stuck. She was signed to a major label that, by her account, refused to let her release the album she'd been working on. The frustration built until, in 2021, she spoke out publicly. In a series of tweets and interviews, she described feeling trapped, unheard and unable to release the music that meant the most to her. The response was immediate: fans, fellow artists and industry figures rallied behind her. The conversation about label deals and artist rights had been building for years; RAYE gave it a face and a story.
When she finally left the deal and went independent, the question was whether she could make the transition work. The answer came quickly. "Escapism," released in 2022, became one of the biggest songs of the year - a raw, addictive track that blended pop, R&B and dance in a way that felt both personal and universal. It went to number one in the UK and charted globally, and it was just the beginning. The album, My 21st Century Blues, followed in 2023 and was everything she'd promised: unfiltered, genre-spanning and unapologetically hers.
My 21st Century Blues and the BRITs
My 21st Century Blues wasn't just a collection of songs - it was a statement. Tracks like "Escapism," "Ice Cream Man" and "The Thrill Is Gone" tackled addiction, abuse and heartbreak with a clarity that pop often avoids. The production was varied: club moments, ballads, and everything in between. The album went to number one and earned critical acclaim, but the real moment came at the BRIT Awards. RAYE won six awards in a single night - a record - including Album of the Year, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year. In her speeches, she talked about the journey: the years of being told no, the fight to get out, and the importance of speaking up. She dedicated the wins to everyone who'd ever been in a bad deal and reminded the industry that artists are not disposable.
The impact of that night went beyond the trophies. RAYE had become a symbol of what's possible when artists take control - and a warning to labels that the old model is breaking. Her success has inspired countless others to renegotiate, to leave, or to think twice before signing. She's since continued to release music and to use her platform to advocate for artist rights. The story isn't over; it's still being written. But the chapter she's already written has changed the conversation for good.
A blueprint for the next generation
For every artist trapped in a bad deal, RAYE's story is proof that the other side exists. British pop is richer when the people making it can actually release it. She didn't just win - she showed that independence and commercial success can go hand in hand, and that the best music often comes when artists are finally free to make it.