Raye: 11 facts about the 'Escapism' singer

How old is Raye? What are her biggest songs? Here's the lowdown on the British singer-songwriter.

1. 

   1. How old is Raye?

   Born on 24th October 1997, Raye is 28 years old.

2. 

   2. What is Raye's hit single 'Escapism' about?

   Following her departure from her record label, Raye released 'Escapism' featuring 070 Shake independently in October 2022. The song went viral on TikTok and catapulted up the charts across the world. She told Clash the song "is a story about running away from everything as fast as you can. The lyrics are about just leaving everyone on read, and going out on your own. It came from a messy time, but as humans, we just have to keep surviving!"

3. 

   3. Where is Raye from?

   Raye was born in Tooting, located in the Wandsworth borough of South London, before growing up in Croydon.

4. 

   4. Does Raye have Instagram?

   Yes! Raye's official Instagram handle is @raye. The singer is very active on Instagram and frequently shares behind the scenes snaps of her in the studio, on tour and on photoshoots. Expect plenty of celebrity appearances, colourful outfits and music teasers.

5. 

   5. Where are Raye's parents from?

   Raye was brought up in a musical family. Her mother, who is of Ghanaian-Swiss heritage, and her English father met at church, where her father would lead worship and her mother sang in the choir. Her Grandfather was also a songwriter and a musician.

7. 

   6. Where did Raye study?

   Raye studied at Woodcote High School in Croydon before enrolling at the BRIT School, a prestigious performing arts school in the same borough, at the age of 14. She studied music and dance, but dropped out after two years because she felt "confined", despite learning "an extensive amount".

8. 

   7. Her debut EP 'Welcome To The Winter' was inspired by Drake and Jhené Aiko.

   The soul-influenced EP was a lot less Pop-sounding than her more recent work. After realising that she needed to "had to evolve and compromise in order to find an audience" and make an impact in the industry, Raye altered her sound and ultimately found music that has "power".

9. 

   8. Her hit collaboration with Jonas Blue, 'By Your Side', almost didn't happen.

   After being introduced by a mutual friend, Blue fell in love with Raye's sound. On the way to their studio session, however, Raye crashed her car into a lamp post after being knocked off the road. She was "shaken up", she recalls, but pulled it together to create the upbeat, happy track.

10. 

    9. How was Raye discovered?

    After attending a "wild" house party when she was 14, Raye penned an anecdotal song called 'Hotbox'. Olly Alexander, the lead singer of the band Years and Years, would later hear the song, which landed Raye a record deal.

11. 

    10. Does Raye have Snapchat?

    Yes! Raye's official Snapchat username is @arayeofcolours.

13. 

    11. Raye was once romantically linked to Drake after the pair worked in the studio together.

    Drake allegedly formed a "close relationship" with Raye during a number of studio sessions in the run-up to his fifth solo album, 'Scorpion'. The rapper was reportedly blown away by her singing and songwriting talents and, after working together, took her on a "string of dates". A fellow Scorpio, Raye incidentally shares the same birthday as the OVO hitmaker.

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