Can Indie Be Mainstream?: A Deep Dive on Raye

It may seem like Raye just landed on the music scene, but she has been in the industry for quite a while. Raye, a singer-songwriter from London, came into the spotlight when she signed to the major record label Polydor at the age of 17, or at least she thought she would. After years of them not letting her release an album, she had enough. Raye began writing songs for mainstream artists like Beyoncé and Charli XCX. She also had features on other songs, but her label felt she wasn’t ready for a full-length album of her own.

After continuing to give her talent away to mainstream artists, Raye had enough. In July of 2021, after seven years with her label, she took to Instagram to announce she was going to leave her label and become an independent artist. This meant releasing her music on her own timeline and on her own standards. Nobody was there to tell her no like all her years prior in the industry.

After leaving her label, she released her first album titled My 21st Century Blues, which gained global recognition. This was a deeply personal project that reflected her years of frustration and hard work to become the artist she is. The album blends pop and R&B with a touch of jazz. It also explores her journey through mental health and addiction. Her second album as an independent artist, titled This music may contain hope. will be released on March 27th and features the radio favorite, “Where is My Husband,” which became very popular this year.

LONG STORY SHORT: Through creative independence and perseverance, Raye put herself first, and it is now paying off. She is the perfect example of an artist who went mainstream and is still recognized and releasing music while being independent.