Songwriter Raye sweeps Brit Awards

Published March 4, 2024
London: Rachel Keen, known as Raye, reacts as she goes to collect her award for the song of the year during the BRIT Awards 2024 ceremony.—AFP
London: Rachel Keen, known as Raye, reacts as she goes to collect her award for the song of the year during the BRIT Awards 2024 ceremony.—AFP

LONDON: Rising star Raye on Saturday swept the UK’s top music awards, setting a record for winning the most prizes in a single year.

The 26-year-old singer-songwriter scooped six awards including best artist, R&B act, new artist, song of the year for “Escapism” and album for “My 21st Century Blues”.

Her award for best songwriter was pre-announced. Accepting the best new artist award she called the win “overwhelming”, adding “this is wild”.

“What is actually happening right now?” a delighted Raye told the audience at London’s O2 arena. “The artist I was three years ago would not believe the sight she is seeing today.

I’m in control, I’m my own boss now,” she declared. She had made history even before the ceremony started by being nominated for a record seven prizes in one year.

The Londoner, whose real name is Rachel Keen, had been up against six other female artists out of the 10 shortlisted in the gender neutral best artist category following a controversy last year.

Not a single female artist ended up being shortlisted in the category in 2023 after the merging of the best female and male artist categories for the first time a year earlier.

That led Brit Awards chairman Damian Christian to complain about a “disappointing lack of female representation”, blaming a dearth of eligible 2022 releases by big female stars.

This year the shortlist was extended from five to 10 and included Dua Lipa and Jessie Ware, newcomer Olivia Dean, and Mercury Prize winners Little Simz and Arlo Parks, as well as Raye.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

System failure
Updated 12 Nov, 2024

System failure

Relevant institutions often treat right to internet connectivity with the same disdain as they do civil and political rights.
Narrowing the gap
12 Nov, 2024

Narrowing the gap

PERHAPS a pat on the back is in order for the ECP. Together with Nadra, it has made visible efforts to reduce...
Back on their feet
12 Nov, 2024

Back on their feet

A STIRRING comeback in the series has ended Pakistan’s 22-year wait for victory against world champions Australia....
Time to deliver
Updated 11 Nov, 2024

Time to deliver

Pakistan must display a serious commitment to climate change adaptation and mitigation at home.
Smaller government
11 Nov, 2024

Smaller government

THE IMF bailout programme has put the government under pressure to curtail its spending, especially current...
Unsafe inheritance
11 Nov, 2024

Unsafe inheritance

DESPITE regulations, the troubling practice of robbing women of their rightful inheritance — the culprits are ...