Gretta Ray
{{Short description|Australian indie-pop singer-songwriter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Gretta Ray
| image = Gretta Ray, St Kilda Festival, Feb 2017.jpg
| landscape = yes
| alt =
| caption = Gretta Ray at St Kilda Festival in 2017
| birth_name = Gretta Louise Ray
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|05|22|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| origin = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| genre = {{hlist|Indie pop|pop}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}}
| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|piano|guitar}}
| years_active = 2016–present
| label = EMI Music Australia
| website = {{URL|www.grettaray.com}}
}}
Gretta Louise Ray{{cite web |title=Gretta Ray Discography |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/5792937-Gretta-Ray?anv=Gretta%20Louise%20Ray&filter_anv=1 |website=Discogs}} (born 22 May 1998) is an Australian singer-songwriter from Melbourne, Victoria. In 2016, she was the winner of the national Triple J Unearthed radio competition for bands and songwriters, and the 2016 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, with her song "Drive".{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/musicnews/s4564467.htm |title=Gretta Ray wins $50,000 Vanda & Young songwriting competition: "It's unbelievable!" |publisher=Triple J |date=27 October 2016 |access-date=26 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028020441/http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/musicnews/s4564467.htm |archive-date=28 October 2016 |url-status=dead}} To date, Ray has released two studio albums – Begin to Look Around (2021) and Positive Spin (2023) – as well as the EPs Elsewhere (2016) and Here and Now (2018).
Originally making music reflective of indie folk influences, Ray came to embrace pop music as her primary genre with Begin to Look Around. Her songwriting has been described by the Sydney Morning Herald as "conversational, unambiguous lyrics" that "[come] across simply and powerfully",{{cite web |last1=Bailey |first1=Michael |title=Gretta Ray review: Triple-threat is here to stay |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/gretta-ray-review-triplethreat-is-here-to-stay-20180827-h14jqm.html |website=Sydney Morning Herald |date=28 August 2018 |access-date=18 August 2023}} and by Australian music critic Bernard Zuel as "quietly grand pop".{{cite web |last1=Zuel |first1=Bernard |title=GRETTA RAY – BEGIN TO LOOK AROUND; CHVRCHES – SCREEN VIOLENCE: REVIEW |url=https://www.bernardzuel.net/post/gretta-ray-begin-to-look-around-chvrches-screen-violence-review |website=BernardZuel.net|date=31 August 2021 }}
Early life and education
Gretta Ray grew up in Melbourne, Australia, attending Princes Hill Secondary College. She sang in choirs from the age of five, latterly singing and touring with Young Voices of Melbourne, and as the youngest member of If You See Her, Say Hello, a group of 21 Melbourne-based singer-songwriters.{{cite web |url=http://www.mismatch.tv/a-chat-with-gretta-ray/ |title=A Chat With...Gretta Ray |publisher=Mismatch |access-date=21 August 2016}}
Career
=2016–2020: Career beginnings, ''Elsewhere'' and ''Here and Now''=
{{main|Here and Now (EP)}}
In February 2016, Ray released her debut EP, Elsewhere. In August 2016, she won the national competition for emerging new artists called Triple J Unearthed High, for her song "Drive", which was produced by Nashville-based Australian music producer Josh Barber with Jonathan Dreyfus, recorded by Nick Edin and Fraser Montgomerey and mixed by US producer Ryan Hewit.{{cite web |title=Gretta Ray - Drive |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d0rwhERGBw |publisher=Gretta Ray |via=YouTube |access-date=25 March 2017}} The song received high-rotation airplay on Triple J.{{cite web |url=https://www.triplejunearthed.com/article/gretta-ray-wins-unearthed-high-2016/ |title=Gretta Ray wins Unearthed High 2016! |publisher=Triple J Unearthed |access-date=21 August 2016}} The announcement was made by Triple J presenters Matt Okine and Alex Dyson, who snuck into a school concert while she was performing to surprise her.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQnNbN77SOs |title=Matt and Alex surprise Unearthed High winner Gretta Ray |publisher=Triple J |via=YouTube |access-date=21 August 2016}} Unearthed music director, Dave Ruby Howe called her a "...bold and exciting new talent who seems to win over everyone that comes into orbit of her music".{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-18/melbourne-musician-gretta-ray-wins-triple-j's-unearthed-high/7762976/ |title=Melbourne musician Gretta Ray wins triple j's Unearthed High |publisher=ABC News |date=18 August 2016 |author=Jones, Ruby}} Ray also a nomination for a J Award for Unearthed Artist of the Year at the 2016 J Awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/jawards/16/nominations/ |title=J Awards 2016: Nominations for 2016 |publisher=Triple J |date=2 November 2016 |access-date=2 November 2016}}
On 27 October 2016, Ray won the 2016 edition of the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, which carries the largest first prize for any songwriting competition in the world.{{cite web |url=http://apraamcos.com.au/news/2016/october/gretta-rays-drive-wins-2016-vanda-and-young-songwriting-competition/ |title=Gretta Ray's "Drive" wins 2016 Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition! |publisher=APRA AMCOS |date=27 October 2016}} In August 2018, Ray released her second EP titled Here and Now. The following year, Ray released two stand-alone singles: a cover of Bon Iver's "re: Stacks" with Dustin Tebbutt in September, and "Heal You in Time" in December.
=2020–2023: ''Begin to Look Around''=
{{main|Begin to Look Around}}
On 20 May 2021, Ray announced her debut album Begin to Look Around, which was released on 27 August 2021.{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/gretta-ray-announces-debut-album-begin-to-look-around-2944515/ |title=Gretta Ray announces debut album 'Begin to Look Around' |work=NME Australia |date=20 May 2021 |access-date=21 May 2021 |author=Langford, Jackson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520024507/https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/gretta-ray-announces-debut-album-begin-to-look-around-2944515/ |archive-date=20 May 2021 |url-status=live}} The album debuted at number 13 on the ARIA Charts. In April 2022, Ray announced the Begin To Look Around album tour, which occurred in June 2022.{{cite web|url=https://musicfeeds.com.au/news/gretta-ray-announces-national-tour-dates-june/|title=Gretta Ray Announces June National Tour Dates|website=Music Feeds|date=14 April 2022|access-date=14 April 2022}} Later in 2022, Ray joined Gang of Youths on their Australian arena tour in support of their album Angel in Realtime, serving as both their opener and a backing vocalist. The shows also saw Ray duet with lead singer David Le'aupepe on "The Deepest Sighs, the Frankest Shadows", which Ray had previously covered on triple j's Like a Version segment.{{cite web |last1=Newstead |first1=Al |title=Spoiler Alert: what went down at Gang of Youths' first Perth show in three years |url=https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/gang-of-youths-perth-show-australian-angel-in-realtime-tour-2022/13997844 |website=triple j |date=August 2022 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=18 August 2023}}
=2023–present: ''Positive Spin''=
{{main|Positive Spin}}
On 3 May 2023, Ray released "Dear Seventeen", a song she described as a "focus track" intended to introduce fans to her upcoming release.
On 24 May 2023, Ray held an event in Melbourne's northern suburbs for fans on her official Discord server. The event was a scavenger hunt that led fans to letters which spelled out the name of her sophomore album, Positive Spin, and culminated in its announcement. The album was released on 18 August 2023, and will be followed by a national tour titled The Big Pop Show in September.{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/gretta-ray-announces-australian-tour/102385894 |title=Gretta Ray announces new album and The Big Pop Show tour |publisher=triple j |date=25 May 2023 |access-date=21 May 2024}} The album was preceded by the singles "Heartbreak Baby", which was later nominated for Song of the Year at the APRA Awards, "Don't Date the Teenager" and "America Forever", which features vocal contributions from British singer Maisie Peters and American singer Carol Ades.
A deluxe version of the album, titled Positive Spin +, was released on 15 March 2024. It includes reworked versions of the songs "Upgraded" and "Heartbreak Baby", as well as the tracks "Roses" and "Better", a collaboration with Japanese Wallpaper.{{cite web |url=https://musicfeeds.com.au/news/gretta-ray-releases-deluxe-edition-of-positive-spin-shares-roses/|title=Gretta Ray Releases Deluxe Edition Of ‘Positive Spin’, Shares ‘Roses’|publisher=Music Feeds |date=14 March 2024 |access-date=20 August 2024}}
In 2024, shortly after moving to London, Ray was diagnosed with infective endocarditis, forcing her to cancel all remaining tour dates for the year.{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/gretta-ray-recovering-health-ordeal-scary-time-1235731763/|title=Gretta Ray Is Recovering From Health Ordeal: ‘It’s Been a Scary Time’ |publisher=Billboard |date=16 July 2024 |access-date=20 August 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/gretta-ray-cancels-all-upcoming-shows-whilst-recovering-from-severe-heart-infection|title=Gretta Ray cancels all upcoming shows whilst recovering from severe heart infection |publisher=The Line of Best Fit |date=31 July 2024 |access-date=20 August 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-31/gretta-ray-cancels-shows-heart-disease-infective-endocarditis/104163132|title=Gretta Ray has cancelled her shows to recover from a rare heart disease. So what is endocarditis?|publisher=ABC |date=31 July 2024 |access-date=20 August 2024}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+List of studio albums, with release date and label shown ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| AUS {{cite web|url=https://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Gretta+Ray|title=Discography Gretta Ray|website=australian-charts.com|access-date=25 August 2023}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| Begin to Look Around
|
| 13 |
| scope="row"| Positive Spin
| | 17 |
=Extended plays=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+List of EPs, with release date, label, and selected chart positions shown ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| EP details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| AUS |
|---|
| scope="row"| Elsewhere
|
| — |
| scope="row"| Here and Now
|
| 46 |
=Singles=
==As lead artist==
==As featured artist==
Awards and nominations
=APRA Awards=
The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. Ray has been nominated for one award.{{cite web |url=http://www.noise11.com/news/tones-and-i-leads-nominations-for-2020-virtual-apra-awards-20200407/ |title=Tones and I leads nominations for 2020 virtual APRA Awards |work=Noise11 |date=7 April 2020 |access-date=11 April 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://apraamcos.com.au/awards/2020-awards/apra-music-awards/ |title=2020 Awards |publisher=APRA AMCOS |date=7 April 2020 |access-date=11 April 2020 |archive-date=9 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409145024/https://apraamcos.com.au/awards/2020-awards/apra-music-awards/ |url-status=dead }}
{{Awards table}}
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
! scope="row"| 2020
| "Radio Silence"
| Most Performed Alternate Work of the Year
| {{Nominated}}
|-
| 2024
| "Heartbreak Baby"
| Song of the Year
| {{Shortlisted}}
| {{cite web|url=https://themusic.com.au/industry/g-flip-genesis-owusu-rvg-more-shortlisted-for-2024-apra-song-of-the-year/Awi5FxYZGBs/22-02-24|title= G Flip, Genesis Owusu, RVG & More Shortlisted For 2024 APRA Song Of The Year|website=The Music|date=22 February 2024|access-date=23 February 2024}}
|}
=ARIA Music Awards=
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual ceremony presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.
{{Awards table}}
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| 2021|| Begin to Look Around || Breakthrough Artist || {{nom}}
| rowspan="8"| {{cite web |url=https://themusicnetwork.com/2021-aria-awards-nominees/ |title=ARIA Awards nominees revealed: Amy Shark & Genesis Owusu lead the charge |work=The Music Network |date=20 October 2021 |access-date=24 October 2021 |author=Kelly, Vivienne |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020000045/https://themusicnetwork.com/2021-aria-awards-nominees/ |archive-date=20 October 2021 |url-status=live}}
|-
{{end}}
=Australian Music Prize=
The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. It exists to discover, reward and promote new Australian music of excellence.{{cite web|url=https://www.australianmusicprize.com.au/the-amp|title=About the AMP|website=Australian Music Prize|access-date=24 January 2023}}
{{awards table}}
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| 2023
| Positive Spin
| Australian Music Prize
| {{nominated}}
| {{Cite magazine |last=Brandle |first=Lars |date=28 November 2023 |title=Troye Sivan Shortlisted for 2023 Australian Music Prize |magazine=Billboard |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/troye-sivan-shortlisted-2023-australian-music-prize-1235513317/ |access-date=29 November 2023}}
|-
{{end}}
=J Awards=
The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.
{{Awards table}}
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
! scope="row"| 2016
| Gretta Ray
| Unearthed Artist of the Year
| {{Nominated}}
| {{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/jawards/16/ |title=J Awards: 2016 |publisher=Triple J |year=2016 |access-date=15 August 2020}}
|-
! scope="row"| 2021
| Begin to Look Around
| Australian Album of the Year
| {{nom}}
| {{cite web|url=https://themusicnetwork.com/triple-j-award-nominees-2021/|title=Triple j reveals J Awards nominees|website=The Music Network|date=1 November 2021|access-date=1 November 2021|author=Kelly, Vivienne}}{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/musicnews/genesis-owusu-leads-this-years-2021-j-awards-winners/13635242|title=Genesis Owusu leads this year's 2021 J Awards winners|website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=18 November 2021|access-date=20 November 2021}}
|-
! scope="row"| 2023
| Positive Spin
| Australian Album of the Year
| {{nom}}
| {{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/all-the-j-award-nominees-2023/103046248|title=Check out all the nominees for the 2023 J Awards |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=1 November 2023|access-date=1 November 2023}}
|}
=Music Victoria Awards=
The Music Victoria Awards are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006.
{{awards table}}
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
|rowspan="1"| 2024
| Gretta Ray
| Best Pop Work
| {{won}}
|rowspan="1"| {{cite web|url= https://themusic.com.au/industry/g-flip-hiatus-kaiyote-ninajirachi-dominate-music-victoria-awards-nominations/TdjzQUBDQkU/02-09-24| title=G Flip, Hiatus Kaiyote, Ninajirachi Dominate Music Victoria Awards Nominations|website=The Music|date=2 September 2024|access-date=2 September 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://scenestr.com.au/music/music-victoria-awards-2024-winners-20241024|title= Music Victoria Awards 2024 Winners|website=Scenstr|date=24 October 2024|access-date=26 October 2024}}
|}
=National Live Music Awards=
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.
{{Awards table}}
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
! scope="row"| 2017
| Herself
| Live Blues and Roots Act of the Year
| {{Nominated}}
| {{cite web |url=https://www.nlmas.com.au/2017/10/09/national-live-music-awards-reveals-2017-nominees-and-venues/ |title=NLMA reveal 2017 Nominees |publisher=National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) |date=9 October 2017 |access-date=5 September 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nlmas.com.au/winners/|title=Winners 2017 |publisher=National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) |date=December 2016 |access-date=5 September 2020}}
|}
=Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition=
The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition is an annual competition that "acknowledges great songwriting whilst supporting and raising money for Nordoff-Robbins" and is coordinated by Albert Music and APRA AMCOS. It commenced in 2009.{{cite web |url=https://www.apraamcos.com.au/about/supporting-the-industry/competitions/vanda-young-global-songwriting-competition/ |title=About the Vanda & Young Global Song Writing Competition |publisher=APRA AMCOS |access-date=12 March 2021}}
{{Awards table}}
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
! scope="row"| 2016
| "Drive"
| Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition
| style="background:gold;"| 1st
| {{cite web |url=https://www.apraamcos.com.au/about/supporting-the-industry/competitions/vanda-young-global-songwriting-competition/past-winners/ |title=Past Winners |publisher=APRA AMCOS |access-date=13 March 2021}}
|}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|www.grettaray.com}}
{{Gretta Ray}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ray, Gretta}}
Category:21st-century Australian singers
Category:21st-century Australian women singers
Category:Australian women pop singers
Category:Australian women singer-songwriters