Three years in the past she was misplaced in limbo at a serious label, publicly lashing out with frustration at not being allowed to launch an album. Now, the ultra-versatile British pop singer Raye has received six Brit awards in a single 12 months, smashing the earlier report of 4 held by Harry Types, Adele and Blur.
She capped a triumphant night time for ladies throughout a variety of genres, with 70% of 2024’s successful acts both feminine or non-binary – a marked change from latest years when the Brits confronted criticism for being closely weighted in the direction of male artists.
Raye’s record-breaking wins are an astonishing turnaround for the 26-year-old Londoner, born Rachel Eager, who received awards for album, artist, music and songwriter of the 12 months, plus finest new artist and R&B act. The one class she was nominated in and didn’t win was pop act, received by Dua Lipa in a public vote.
Receiving the most important award of the night time, for album of the 12 months, Raye introduced her grandmother on stage in a second that had many within the crowd in tears – in addition to Raye herself. “I’m ugly crying on nationwide tv,” she mentioned. “I’m so pleased with this album, I’m in love with music – all I ever wished to be was an artist.”
Regardless of her finest new artist win, Raye really launched her first music 10 years in the past, flitting between kinds as she gained a fame as a charismatic visitor vocalist on pop-dance tracks. She introduced drama to the moody Secrets and techniques by Regard, craving to Joel Corry’s sunny Mattress, and puckishly dismissed chat-up strains on Jax Jones’s You Don’t Know Me – all three reached the UK Prime 5.
However Raye’s solo music was fitful, and in June 2021 she expressed anger at her label Polydor on Twitter (now X), alleging that she was informed the discharge of her debut album was contingent on the chart success of her solo tracks. “Think about the PRESSURE of me waking up daily frantically taking a look at numbers and stats,” she wrote. “If I’m going to endure I’m NOT going to do it in silence any extra.” Polydor mentioned they had been saddened by her assertion, and she or he was launched from her four-album deal the next month.
Releasing her music independently in partnership with a distribution firm, she rapidly turned her profession round: Escapism, which received music of the 12 months, reached No 1 within the UK and was her first hit within the US, whereas the Brit-winning album My twenty first Century Blues – an emotionally candid tour by dance music, darkish R&B, energy ballads and forward-thinking pop – reached No 2 and was nominated for the Mercury prize.
Since its launch she has additionally had a hand in one of the vital profitable songs of 2023: Prada, a banging dance transforming by producer Cassö of an earlier music Raye made with rappers D-Block Europe, entitled Ferrari Horses. Prada spent 14 weeks within the UK Prime 5 and was Raye’s second nomination for music of the 12 months on the Brits. It took her complete nominations to seven, one other report tally.
Raye has by no means received a Brit award earlier than, however her six wins immediately put her on a par with Dua Lipa, Harry Types, David Bowie, Phil Collins and Oasis who even have six every. Essentially the most profitable artist in Brits historical past stays Robbie Williams who has 13 wins total, adopted by Adele with 12.
Jungle received group of the 12 months following the discharge of their fourth album Volcano, containing the sleeper hit Again on 74. It’s the primary Brit win for the multitalented duo of Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland, who together with vocalist Lydia Kitto and others, commerce in breezy, sunlit soul and funk. Like Raye, they’re now releasing independently after an earlier spell with a report label.
Within the worldwide classes, R&B vocalist SZA was named artist of the 12 months following the discharge of her masterpiece album SOS, a multi-genre exploration of hard-fought love and self-knowledge. Indie supergroup Boygenius – the emotive trio of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, notably adored by millennials and gen Z – received group of the 12 months, and Miley Cyrus received music of the 12 months for Flowers, which spent 10 weeks at UK No 1 in early 2023.
Becoming a member of Raye and Lipa’s wins within the style classes – voted for by the general public fairly than the musicians and business figures within the Brits Academy who select the remaining – are Sheffield pop-metallers Convey Me the Horizon who received different/rock act, and Calvin Harris, who received dance act. It’s his third win from 15 nominations over time, and Harris was among the many performers on the awards ceremony at London’s O2 Area, enjoying Miracle, his chart-topping trance-revival monitor with Ellie Goulding on vocals. Different stay performers included Raye, Lipa, Jungle and US pop star Tate McRae.
Casisdead beat 4 way more commercially profitable names to win hip-hop/grime/rap act, testomony to the fiercely admiring fandom for a MC who has walked his personal scene-resistant path throughout 20 years within the British underground. He has by no means revealed his face or identification, as an alternative sporting a wide range of masks for music movies and public appearances. He launched his long-awaited debut album Well-known Final Phrases in 2023: a high-concept, 80s-tinged crime narrative with collaborators together with Neil Tennant of Pet Store Boys and Stranger Issues composer Kyle Dixon.
Beforehand introduced awards went to Chase & Standing, one other of the night time’s stay performers who had been named producers of the 12 months after serving to to firmly reinstate drum’n’bass within the British mainstream. Theatrical rockers the Final Dinner Social gathering had been named Rising Star, and Kylie Minogue, who closed the ceremony, was named International Icon.
Save from Raye calling for higher monetary offers for songwriters, there have been comparatively few outspoken feedback in contrast with earlier years from the musicians – however the award presenters stepped into the breach. Former postmistress Jo Hamilton, who was amongst these negatively affected by the Horizon controversy, mentioned: “Please may you retain on supporting us, as a result of regardless of what the federal government says, they aren’t paying the postmasters.” Previous to awarding Cyrus, drag queen Bimini Bon Boulash mentioned: “Proper now within the UK it’s a very troublesome time for lots of people, and trans folks and non binary folks extra so. I need you to know that everybody on this room loves you and you might be legitimate, and trans rights are human rights.”
The success of girls at this 12 months’s Brits follows related success on the 2024 Grammys, the place Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Victoria Monét respectively received the 4 greatest awards of report, album, music of the 12 months, and finest new artist. Feminine artists additionally received all 4 pop classes (plus conventional pop vocal album), all 5 rock and different classes, and 4 out of 5 R&B classes.
Brit awards 2024: full listing of winners
Album of the 12 months: Raye – My twenty first Century Blues
Artist of the 12 months: Raye
Music of the 12 months: Raye – Escapism
Group of the 12 months: Jungle
Greatest new artist: Raye
Worldwide artist of the 12 months: SZA
Worldwide music of the 12 months: Miley Cyrus – Flowers
Worldwide group of the 12 months: Boygenius
Different/rock act: Convey Me the Horizon
Hip-hop/grime/rap act: Casisdead
Dance act: Calvin Harris
Pop act: Dua Lipa
R&B act: Raye
Rising Star: The Final Dinner Social gathering
Producer of the 12 months: Chase & Standing
Songwriter of the 12 months: Raye
International Icon: Kylie Minogue
