London singer and songwriter RAYE is best known for featuring on Jonas Blue’s single By Your Side and more recently Jax Jones smash hit You Don’t Know Me. Since these commercial successes, she decided to focus on her own music and released last month an EP with some very impressive collaborations like Mabel, Stefflon Don as well as Ray BLK. We caught up with her in Paris a couple weeks ago during her tour with Rita Ora, we talked about girls in the music industry, Kanye West and maybe a collaboration with Drake.
The feminine musical scene has never been that much interesting since these two pasts years, what your opinion about this?
I feel very comfortable with what is happening in the music industry. We, girls, are more and more supporting each other and that’s cool! There’s not any competition and that’s what is important, especially when it comes to female artists.
When we met Mabel month ago, she told us that she wanted to make music with you, and this happens as she’s on your previous single…
Yes, Mabel is my friend. We share the same record label but that’s what I was telling you, we support each other. Our music is quite different but that’s what we wanted. Putting out our voice on a track, just to have fun.
Charli XCX supported you when you started, what’s the relationship between you girls?
Charli is amazing and she’s my friend! We’ve made many writing camps together and she’s so inspiring. She works a lot, she writes a lot for many other artists. I remember saying “oh I love this Selena Gomez song…” and it was her! Between you and me, Charli is my favorite partner in crime in this industry as she knows how to party. Like real party!
You are now on the road with Rita Ora, how about sharing a tour bus with her?
It’s so punk, traveling Europe in a tour bus haha. I’m so happy Rita let me do this tour with her. She’s so professional in everything she undertakes. She’s a real business woman and it’s surprising how she can deal with so many things in her career. She’s not just a singer as she’s always moving to different countries. She gave me many opportunities to express myself in front of her fans. Last summer we made a song live during a festival and yes, maybe working later on some new stuff can be exciting!
“Oh, shit, god knows how much Kayne West is a genius
but his comments about slavery are so stupid…
I don’t understand…”
And she’s actually being in trouble for her song GIRLS? As the LGBTQ community and singers such as Kehlani found this song hurtful.
Yes, but I don’t understand that! I know her personally and I know she’s bisexual but come on, she’s not gonna make a song to laugh about the LGBTQ community. That’s the problem actually, you can’t say something without being judged. With the internet now, you feel like you need to censure your ideas or you will be troll…
So what do you think about all the polemics concerning Kanye West?
Oh, shit, god knows how much Kayne West is a genius but his comments about slavery are so stupid… I don’t understand…
What about your new EP? There’s so much amazing guess on it!
Oh yes! You know that this was a family affair when we made it. Everyone did it for free. I just call them and they came into the studio to make the tracks. It was fun and I’m happy having all these people on it!
What’s your dream collaboration?
I don’t know but I would love writing a song for the upcoming album of Rihanna. I know there’s everyone on it, I‘ve been in a writing camp making some tune but cross finger…and maybe Drake…but it’s a secret!
When you’re not making music, any guilty hobby?
I love games! I’m a big geek!
