She has just released her latest album. This music may contain hopeRAYE is pulling back the curtain on what it took to get to this point, and it wasn’t easy.
In a new roundtable discussion with Zane Lowe zane lowe showIn , the seven-time BRIT Award-winning artist opens up about fatigue, creative control and the long road to independence. This conversation comes at a pivotal moment in her career, just days after the album’s release, and allows fans to gain a deeper understanding of the work behind the music.
“All blood cells will be collected.”
RAYE doesn’t overcoat the processes behind it This music may contain hope. This album demanded everything, she explains.
“It took me so long to make…This album took a lifetime’s worth of work. It used up every blood cell. Honestly, I’m mentally and physically exhausted. I don’t mean it in a bad way, but I’ve put so much into this body of work in some way, shape, form if I’m not on stage.”
Rather than shift the blame, she leaned forward. Writing, producing, and collaborating with large ensembles became part of her daily life.
“I also took on the role of executive producer and wanted to write everything lyrically and melodically from a topline perspective and work with a lot of great musicians, big bands, string sections and orchestras. And it was an absolute labor of passion and love.”
The result is a record that feels expansive without losing its emotional center, and reflects the years spent honing her voice on and off stage.
A quiet rebellion against the industry
RAYE spent years writing songs for other artists before stepping into his own spotlight. The experience shaped her, but it also inspired her to walk away from it.
“I think, maybe subconsciously, I have a kind of rebellion against the previous model that existed for many years, where everything was very simple and minimal…”
She describes a studio session routine built around a strict formula. Creativity often took a backseat to timelines and metrics.
“And…to put it simply, it needs to be this long, it needs to be this BPM, it needs to be this and that. That took up a lot of my life. It was miserable for me.”
That tension helped inspire the album’s direction. Rather than following a single note, she let herself explore.
“I’m not one thing. I’ve grown up in many different cultures… My identity isn’t one thing. So how can you ask me to pick one thing? I think I embraced maximalism on this record… I explored every genre I felt like doing. What’s a genre these days?”
walk away and take control
One of the most defining moments in RAYE’s journey was when she cut ties with her label. It was not a simple resignation, but it marked a change of power.
“Well, you know, it was the best-case scenario that could have happened at that moment…After 10 years, no, seven years of doing it with the particular label system I was in, that was the breaking point for me to just continue being a songwriter for the rest of my life. I felt like I couldn’t do this.”
She recalls using her newfound attention to assert herself in ways she hadn’t before.
“And I was able to say pretty clearly, you know, I’m really going to continue…I’m going to do all the interviews and tell all the gory details. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Full leverage. How do you feel now that you’ve got some? I love it.”
Retirement not only changed her career, but also her mindset.
healing and rebuilding
Independence brought freedom, but it also required restoration. RAYE spoke openly about the emotional work that followed.
“It felt really good… but I also needed therapy. You know what I mean? Like it took a lot of healing, but not… It wasn’t easy, you know, it wasn’t an easy time.”
From there, the album was a collection of fragments, old ideas, new insights, and songs that had been waiting for their moment.
“Songs from years ago, new thoughts from therapy, new realizations… ‘Oscar Winning Tears’ is a song from eight years ago. It was then, and please, I love it.”
build from scratch
Without the backing of a major label, RAYE had to rethink everything from distribution to release strategy.
“It was literally me and my dad. And we found a distributor, literally the only place that would take my album as is and support me on this journey.”
What started as anxiety turned into a decisive strength. By the time the album arrived, it was more than just a collection of songs, it was a proof of concept.
And for RAYE, that change is as important as the music itself.
Watch the full episode here Or anytime, on-demand with an Apple Music subscription. here.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
