It’s ladies’ night at the Brits as new queen Raye hits them for six
JUST three years ago, singer Raye was so down on her luck that her own record label wouldn’t even release her music.
But in one of the greatest-ever music comebacks, the London-born star sensationally took home six prestigious Brit awards last night.
She had been nominated seven times – the most ever for a single artist in a year – but couldn’t possibly have won more than she did as she was shortlisted twice for song of the year – for Escapism, which won the title, and for Prada.
Raye, full name Rachel Agatha Keen, was overwhelmed as she broke the record for winning the most gongs in one night. At the ceremony at London’s O2 arena, the 26-year-old collected prizes for best artist, new artist, R&B act and songwriter as well as song and album of the year.
Raye’s stunning success on a strong night for female musicians will delight Brit Awards organisers after last year’s controversy. Then, not a single woman was nominated for artist of the year – which was ultimately won by Harry Styles – after they scrapped separate male and female awards in favour of gender-neutral categories.
Producers also changed the gender balance of presenters this year, replacing 2023 host Mo Gilligan with Love Island anchor Maya Jama, and radio DJs Clara Amfo and Roman Kemp.
As well as Raye’s huge successes, Dua
Lipa won best pop act while Kylie Minogue – who had a massive comeback hit last year with Padam Padam – picked up the global icon award.
All three performed at the show too, with Ms Lipa opening the ceremony with her hit Training Day as more than 30 dancers twisted and spun from invisible wires 50ft above the stage.
American singer-songwrier SZA, 34, won international artist of the year while Miley Cyrus, 31, won
‘It’s wonderful to be with so many incredible female acts’
international song of the year for her hit, Flowers. American feminist indie band Boygenius were named international group of the year
The only men to get accolades were Calvin Harris for dance act; Sheffield quartet Bring Me The Horizon in the alternative/rock category; Casisdead for best hip-hop, grime or rap act; and
duo Jungle for group of the year. Before the show started, stars walked the red carpet, with 28-year-old Ms Lipa wowing in a plunging leather Versace gown. She said: ‘It does feel like a particularly strong year [for women] and it’s wonderful to see so many incredible female artists who I love and I admire and I listen to. To be alongside them feels really special and we need more girl energy. It’s great.’
Ellie Goulding, 37, made her first public appearance since she confirmed she had split from husband Caspar Jopling after nearly five years of marriage.
Fresh off the plane from Costa Rica where she was seen frolicking in the sea with surf instructor Armando Perez, Ms Goulding was dressed in a stunning nude coloured floor-length silk gown by Italian label Alberta Ferretti and a pair of £954 Jimmy Choo Max Bing shoes.
She also took to the O2 stage with Harris to perform their Brit-nominated hit Miracle.
Other stars to shine on the red carpet included actresses Joanne Froggatt, Jaime Winstone, Isla Fisher and Marisa Abela, who plays Amy Winehouse in the forthcoming biopic of the tragic singer, Back To Black.
Also at the bash were model Abbey Clancy with ex-footballer husband Peter Crouch, former Spice Girl Mel C and singer Charli XCX. Comedian Rob Beckett left guests stunned and amused when he arrived in an inflatable giraffe outfit – apparently plugging his forthcoming stand-up tour, which is called Giraffe. Raye vowed to celebrate the night away at the afterparties being held at exclusive locations such as Soho House’s 180 venue where record label Universal hosted a bash, and the Nomad hotel.
Born in Tooting to a Ghanaian-Swiss mother and English father, Raye began singing in the church choir. At the age of 14, she was accepted into the Brit School for performing arts, but dropped out after two years saying she felt ‘confined’.
She first found fame in 2016, aged 19, when she featured on Jax Jones’s You Don’t Know Me which peaked at No3 on the UK singles chart.
But in 2021 she revealed that record label Polydor had refused to release any of her albums, despite having signed her seven years earlier. She used Twitter to say: ‘I have been on a four-album record deal since 2014. And haven’t been allowed to put out one album.’
Her debut album My 21st Century Blues was released independently last year and made No2 in the charts – as well as securing her the Brit Award last night.
Raye has previously told how she was assaulted by a music producer who forced his hand between her legs when she was 17 – an experience she drew upon for the album track Ice Cream Man.