Ray BLK
{{short description|British singer (born 1994)}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image = Ray BLK 2 – splash! Festival 20 (2017).jpg
| caption =
| name = Ray BLK
| birth_name = Rita Ekwere
| alias = Ray Blizzy
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1994|08|02}}
| birth_place = Nigeria
| origin = Catford, South East London, England
| genre = {{hlist|R&B|soul|neo soul}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|rapper}}
| years_active = 2015–present
| label = Universal Island Records
| associated_acts = * Stormzy
| website =
}}
Rita Ekwere (born 2 August 1994),{{Cite news|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/A9xfA8rGLfg5SUSGaZeTvIPWy0U/appointments|title=Rita Ekwere|publisher=Companies House|access-date=6 January 2016}} better known under her stage name of Ray BLK (pronounced "Ray Black"), is a British singer and songwriter who was born in Nigeria, and grew up in Catford in London.{{Cite web |last=Bassett |first=Jordan |date=2018-11-02 |title=The Big Read - Ray BLK: "There is no better revenge than success" |url=https://www.nme.com/big-reads/ray-blk-interview-2018-2396132 |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=NME |language=en-GB}} She won the BBC's Sound of 2017, and was the first unsigned artist to do so.{{Cite web |title=Ray BLK named winner of BBC Music Sound of 2017 {{!}} Rap {{!}} The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/jan/06/ray-blk-winner-bbc-music-sound-of-2017-rap-soul |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=amp.theguardian.com|date=6 January 2017 |last1=Gibsone |first1=Harriet }} On 28 October 2016, she released her debut mini-album, Durt, and in January 2018 signed to the UK branch of Island Records. Her debut full-length studio album, Access Denied, was released to critical acclaim in October 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-06 |title=Ray BLK: 'Same artist, different person' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-57722799 |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
Background
Ray BLK, whose real name is Rita Ekwere,{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38522991|author=Mark Savage|title=Sound of 2017: Unsigned soul singer Ray BLK wins|publisher=BBC News|date=6 January 2016}} was born in Nigeria and moved to London when she was about four.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38517179|author=Mark Savage|title=BBC Sound of 2017: Ray BLK interview|publisher=BBC News|date=6 January 2016}} She grew up in Catford. At the age of 13 she formed a music group with her school friend MNEK called "New Found Content". She studied for a degree in English literature at Brunel University, and her dissertation was on post-colonial Nigerian literature, focusing on the novels of Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Adichie. She worked in an advertising agency to sustain her music career in its early days.
Her stage surname BLK stands for Building Living Knowing, which she describes as her three main values.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/122FSRNWPpZclwy6Xt1DySs/1st-ray-blk|title=BBC Music Sound of, 2017 – 1st Ray BLK|publisher=BBC Music}}
Career
Ray released her first recordings while studying for her English degree. Her debut EP Havisham was released in 2015. Inspired by Miss Havisham's story in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, it told the tale of a girl who turns against men after having her heartbroken. According to Ray "I felt like Miss Havisham was like a lot of women around me, who got their heartbroken and turned cold and began to hate men." Ray releases music on her own label and has avoided signing a record deal to retain the rights to her music. In 2016 she self-released her debut mini-album Durt, featuring collaborations with Stormzy, Wretch 32 and SG Lewis. Her single "My Hood" is a song about her home town of Catford. She wrote it at a time when she had just been robbed, and she felt like she just wanted to leave.
She was nominated for best newcomer at the 2016 MOBO Awards.{{Cite web|url=https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/14716/ray-blk-bags-ticket-stardom-bbc-sound-2017-award/|title=Ray Blk bags a ticket to stardom with BBC Sound of 2017 award|publisher=London News Online|date=6 January 2017|access-date=6 January 2017|archive-date=7 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107004109/https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/14716/ray-blk-bags-ticket-stardom-bbc-sound-2017-award/|url-status=dead}} On 6 January 2017, Ray was announced as the winner of the BBC's Sound of 2017.
In 2019, Ray BLK was the opening act for the UK leg of The Nicki Wrld Tour, the headlining tour by American rapper Nicki Minaj.{{Cite web |last=Flash |first=Oprah |date=2019-03-15 |title=Nicki Minaj reviewed in Birmingham - technical issues and empty seats |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/nicki-minaj-arena-birmingham-reviewed-15977290 |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=BirminghamLive |language=en}}
In November 2019, she released a song called "Action" with rapper Chip, then went on to teasing more music with 3 snippets on Instagram from her upcoming debut album which will be released in 2021.{{Cite web |title=Ray BLK & Chip Team Up For "Action" Packed Visuals |url=https://www.newwavemagazine.com/single-post/ray-blk-chip-team-up-for-action-packed-visuals |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=www.newwavemagazine.com|date=8 November 2019 }}
In July 2021, she released a single "MIA" featuring American singer Kaash Paige and announced that her debut album Access Denied would be released on 17 September 2021 through Island Records, later delayed to 1 October. Upon release the album attracted critical acclaim and was listed as one of the best albums of 2021 by NME.{{cite web |title=On The Cover - The 50 best albums of 2021 |url=https://www.nme.com/big-reads/nme-best-albums-of-the-year-2021-3114833 |website=NME |date=10 December 2021 |access-date=3 January 2022}}
In 2023, she made her acting debut as Honey on the BBC One musical drama series Champion. She also served as music executive on the soundtrack alongside Ghetts and the show's creator and writer Candice Carty-Williams.
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Details |
|---|
| scope="row"| Access Denied
|
|
=EPs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Details |
|---|
| scope="row"| Durt
|
|
| scope="row"| Empress
|
|
| scope="row"| A Forest Fire
|
|
=Mixtapes=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Details |
|---|
| scope="row"| Havisham
|
|
=Singles=
==As a lead artist==
==As a featured artist==
==Promotional singles==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Title
! scope="col" style="width:1em;"| Year ! scope="col"| Album |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Mama"{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/mama-acoustic-room-session-single/1447486490|title=Mama (Acoustic Room Session) - Single by RAY BLK|date=28 December 2018 |publisher=iTunes (UK)|access-date=28 December 2018}}
| rowspan="2"| 2018 | Empress |
| scope="row"| "LOVE."{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/love-acoustic-room-session-single/1446598003|title=LOVE. (Acoustic Room Session) - Single by RAY BLK|date=28 December 2018 |publisher=iTunes (UK)|access-date=28 December 2018}}
| {{n/a|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Paradise"{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/paradise-acoustic-single/1451253795|title=Paradise (Acoustic) - Single by RAY BLK|publisher=iTunes (UK)|access-date=14 August 2019}}
| 2019 | Empress |
=Other charted songs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| UK {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/50461/ray-blk/|title=RAY BLK - full Official Charts History|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=5 April 2019}} |
| scope="row"| "Rubber Bands" {{small|(with Nines & Skrapz)}} | 2018 | 61 |
=Guest appearances=
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Ray BLK}}
- {{Official website|http://www.rayblk.co.uk}}
{{BBC Sound of...|state=expanded}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ray BLK}}
Category:Alumni of Brunel University London
Category:English people of Nigerian descent
Category:Black British women rappers
Category:British women rappers
Category:Singers from the London Borough of Lewisham
Category:English women songwriters