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Raye was at a loss for words when she received her first Brit award for song of the year in the evening. She then made a plea for songwriters to receive credit on master recordings. By the time she tearfully accepted her sixth award for album of the year, she had almost run out of words. The British pop star had broken records with seven nominations and six wins, surpassing previous record holders Harry Styles, Adele, and Blur. Styles’s 2023 victory was a celebration of his global success, while Raye’s near-clean sweep reflects her creative talent showcased in her debut album, My 21st Century Blues. The album’s honest storytelling and versatile blend of rap, R&B, dance, pop, soul, and ballads make her a worthy peer to this year’s best international artist, SZA. Raye, also known as Rachel Keen, was not recognized at the Grammys, making her victory a significant achievement for the British music industry. Despite being signed to Polydor for seven years, she was not given the recognition she deserved.
In 2021, Raye shared an emotional message on social media where she revealed that her record label had refused to let her produce even a single album as part of her contract. She believed that several of her songs had the potential to become hits, including “Escapism” which was later named the best song of the year, but they were being neglected. Instead, she felt stuck as a guest vocalist, lending her voice to generic tracks by popular artists like David Guetta and Jax Jones. Many female pop stars who have spoken out against their labels have not had positive outcomes, as seen with Britney Spears and Sky Ferreira. However, to everyone’s surprise, Polydor released Raye from her contract and she began her journey as an independent artist, working with label services company, the Orchard. She wrote most of her highly anticipated debut album by herself and co-produced all but two songs. The album reached No 2 and earned her a nomination for the Mercury prize and a win at the Ivor Novello awards. The fact that Polydor could not see Raye’s immense potential beyond the club music scene raises serious questions about the A&R practices of major record labels and the impact it has on other talented young women who are not being given the chance to shine.
At the moment, Raye being recognized by the 1,200-member Brits voting academy, which is primarily made up of industry professionals, seems like a desperate attempt by the British music industry to claim her as their own and validate her success. This choice of recognition may also be an attempt to create a fairytale ending while conveniently ignoring the struggles she faced in the past. It’s hard not to sympathize with the other talented artists who didn’t get their moment in the spotlight and seemed a bit disappointed as the cameras cut away to them. While it’s important to acknowledge how well she performed in her second act, it’s also worth noting that Raye is not yet a well-known household name. However, the Brit awards, which have become less significant in recent years, have given her the opportunity to showcase her impressive skills and captivate a whole new audience through her dynamic, medley-style performance. This is especially valuable since television platforms for promoting British music are not as plentiful as they once were. Her potential audience is limitless, ranging from teenagers who love Amy Winehouse but were too young to experience her prime, to older listeners who are impressed by Raye’s traditional talents and soulful abilities, as shown in her special concert at the Royal Albert Hall last year. While the Brit awards may simply act as a trophy for established superstars, it could also greatly increase Raye’s streaming numbers in the upcoming week.
Following the backlash over the exclusion of female artists in last year’s all-male best artist category, the Brit Awards announced the elimination of gendered categories for the 2022 ceremony. The success of Raye also serves as a corrective measure for the Brits, as 70% of this year’s winners (including pre-ceremony winners) were women. The Grammys also reflected a dominance of female artists in the Big Four and genre categories. Among the male victors, rapper Casisdead stood out for his win in the best hip-hop/grime/rap category, after spending 20 years in the industry. The alt/rock field was won by all-male band Bring Me the Horizon. However, there were still instances of confusion, with Calvin Harris winning over Fred Again for best dance act, despite the latter’s more widespread cultural impact. In the best group category, Jungle’s victory over Young Fathers showcases the Brits’ tendency to prioritize sports montage music over thought-provoking art, which reveals the absurdities of a paranoid Britain and highlights a progressive multicultural alternative. Overall, the Brits remain a celebration of the music industry, despite its controversial exclusion of some of its most talented artists.
Source: theguardian.com
