RAYE RELEASES LONG-AWAITED DEBUT ALBUM “MY 21ST CENTURY BLUES”
FEATURING GLOBAL SMASH HIT “ESCAPISM.” WITH 070 SHAKE AND
POWERFUL NEW FEMINIST ANTHEM “ICE CREAM MAN”
“ESCAPISM.” HITS TOP 20 AT U.S. POP & RHYTHMIC RADIO, AND ASCENDS U.S. BILLBOARD CHARTS – STREAM AND WATCH HERE
SUPPORTING KALI UCHIS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA ON RED MOON IN VENUS TOUR FROM APRIL 25 – MAY 26
Ascending straight to the top of numerous charts around the world with the bonafide smash hit single “Escapism”, the trailblazing independent recording artist and revered songwriter, RAYE, today shares her long-awaited debut album, My 21st Century Blues, available to stream/purchase now via Human Re Sources/The Orchard – LISTEN & PURCHASE HERE
Speaking on the release of her deeply personal first full-length album, the south London native emotionally shares, “My 21st Century Blues. My debut album. My ugly, complex, beautiful mosaic formed from broken pieces of glass from the last seven years of my life. This music is my medicine, my anxieties, traumas, and unfiltered thoughts. The music on this record empowered me to face my demons and has accompanied me through my bluest blues, crafted unapologetically and fearlessly with love and tears. Now I can only hope it might provide the same medicine it did for me for those who choose to listen. I can’t believe it is really happening – my first album.”
RAYE continues, “Some of these songs I’ve had for years that I’ve needed to express and share. Before, I was told it was too uncomfortable and that audiences don’t want to hear it. There’s no sonic through-line. It was just creating whatever felt right for the story I want to tell over it. It just feels free.”
Executive produced by frequent collaborator Mike Sabath (Selena Gomez, Lizzo, Camila Cabello), My 21st Century Blues showcases RAYE’s signature raw and honest songwriting on all 13 tracks off the album touching on her experiences as a young female woman of color coming up in the music industry to painful topics like sexual abuse, rape, body dysmorphia, addiction, misogyny, and even climate change. A dynamic body of work seven years in the making, MC21B is a testament to her resilience that further highlights a versatile and multi-faceted artist who is in complete control of her creative output. RAYE co-produced nearly half of the LP that has additional songwriting from BloodPop(Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Madonna), Di Genius(Beyonce, Drake, Burna Boy), and Punctual (Years & Years, Rudimental, Jason Derulo).
My 21st Century Blues features the massive U.K. #1 hit “Escapism.” with 070 Shake, which has become a sensation around the globe where it’s currently charting Top 10 in 12 territories in addition to its rapid ascension on numerous Billboard U.S. charts including the Hot 100 (#22), Global 200 (#7), Rhythmic Airplay (#18), and Pop Airplay (#21). The tracklist also includes previously released singles “Black Mascara.”, “Hard Out Here.”, and “The Thrill Is Gone.” in addition to new standouts like the powerful feminist anthem “Ice Cream Man.” and sultry, confident Mahalia-assisted “Five Star Hotels.”
RAYE’s 2023 is already shaping up to be her biggest year of touring yet as she embarks on the first leg of her My 21st Century Blues headline world tour – performing 14 sold out shows in February and March across Europe and North America – before hitting the road this spring with Kali Uchis as the special guest on her Red Moon In Venus North American tour playing 19 shows in major markets including two dates in New York at Radio City Music Hall. RAYE also announced a second leg of 2023 headline shows covering the UK and Europe in November and December. See below for a list of RAYE’s upcoming live dates and for more details on ticketing, visit her official website HERE.
RAYE’s breakout has been nothing short of exponential. Giving an emotional, adrenaline-rushing performance, the trailblazer has proven that she’s a force to be reckoned with ushered in by the massive success of “Escapism.”, which catapulted to the top of the viral music charts surpassing 5.65 Billion views and 1 million original creations on TikTok alone in addition to 325 million worldwide streams and more than 35 million monthly Spotify listeners (#69 in the world). The song continues to make major waves at U.S. radio where it’s climbed into the Top 20 at both Pop and Rhythmic formats with 206 US monitored radio stations (15.5M+ total audience) adding the record into full rotation including such stations as SiriusXM Hits 1, Z100 New York and KIIS Los Angeles.
It’s been a year since RAYE blew up her career in order to rebuild it. Frustrated at the fact she’d been continually denied the chance to release her album by her then major label — despite more than 35million monthly Spotify listeners, eight Top 20 U.K. tracks, and four BRIT Award nominations to her name plus songwriting credits that have clocked more than 3.5 Billion global streams for other acts like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Rosalia, and Charli XCX to name only a few — she posted a series of viral tweets that shed light not only on her own struggles but on the plight of female artists caught in an endless loop of faceless dance features and broken promises.
A straight shooter, RAYE has always relished being a maverick. Brought up in a musical household (her dad and grandfather were both songwriters), she knew from an early age that she would carry on this lineage. At age 14, she earned a full scholarship to attend the Brit School, the creative hothouse that helped shape the careers of her heroes Adele and Amy Winehouse, but she ultimately left two years later in order to embark on her professional music career. In between touring with the likes of Halsey, Khalid, Rita Ora, Years & Years and Jess Glynneplus penning such hits as “Bigger” for Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift and “Bed” with Joel Corry and David Guetta, RAYE issued a series of solo singles, projects, and collaborations that have resulted in over 3 Billion streams.
RAYE triumphantly returned to music in 2022 with the hard-hitting comeback anthem “Hard Out Here” marking her first release as a new independent artist. Now, with the release of My 21st Century Blues and a proper infrastructure in place to capitalize on her extensive experience as a hit-maker, she has delivered her debut on her own terms. It’s still the RAYE of old, but reloaded with songs made not only by and for herself but for everyone – especially women – who have faced and overcome adversity.
Stay tuned for much more to come from RAYE this year and stream/purchase her long-awaited debut album ‘My 21st Century Blues’ out now via Human ReSources/The Orchard.
My 21st Century Blues Tracklist
1. “Introduction.”
2. “Oscar Winning Tears.”
3. “Hard Out Here.”
4. “Black Mascara.”
5. “Escapism.” (feat. 070 Shake)
6. “Mary Jane.”
7. “The Thrill Is Gone.”
8. “Ice Cream Man.”
9. “Flip A Switch.”
10. “Body Dysmorphia.”
11. “Environmental Anxiety.”
12. “Five Star Hotels.” (feat. Mahalia)
13. “Worth It.”
14. “Buss It Down.”
15. “Fin.”
My 21st Century Blues Headline 2023 World Tour
February 25 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg SOLD OUT
February 26 – Berlin, DEU – Frannz SOLD OUT
February 27 – Copenhagen, DK – Lilie Vega SOLD OUT
March 1 – Stockholm, SE – Debaser Strand
March 2 – Paris, FR – La Maroquinerie SOLD OUT
March 4 – Dublin, IE – Olympia Theatre SOLD OUT
March 5 – Belfast, UK – Limelight SOLD OUT
March 7 – Manchester, UK – O2 Ritz SOLD OUT
March 8 – London, UK – Roundhouse SOLD OUT
March 14 – San Francisco, CA – Popscene @ Rickshaw Stop SOLD OUT
March 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour SOLD OUT
March 17 – Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground SOLD OUT
March 19 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall SOLD OUT
March 21 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall Of Williamsburg SOLD OUT
November 18 – Paris, FR – La Cigale
November 19 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg
November 20 – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU – Rockhal
November 21 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
November 23 – Berlin, DE – Huxley’s
November 24 – Warsaw, PL – Progresja
November 26 – Copenhagen, DK – Vega
November 29 – Bridlington, UK – Bridlington Spa
November 30 – Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy
December 1 – Newcastle, UK – NX
December 2 – Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo
December 5 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute
December 6 – London, UK – Venue TBC
December 7 – Bristol, UK – O2 Academy
RAYE Supports Kali Uchis on Red Moon In Venus2023 North American Tour
April 25 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park
April 26 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
April 27 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
April 30 – Miami, FL – FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park
May 1 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live Orlando
May 2 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
May 4 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
May 5 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
May 7 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia
May 9 – Washington, D.C. – The Anthem
May 10 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
May 12 – Toronto, ON – Coca-Cola Coliseum
May 14 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
May 15 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
May 16 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
May 18 – Denver, CO –Fillmore Auditorium
May 23 – Vancouver, BC – UBC Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
May 24 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater
May 26 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
