Ray BLK
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- www.soundcloud.com/rayblk
- www.twitter.com/rayblk_
Contact
Delivering the brash honesty of rap music, with her unique blend of soul and R&B spirit, Ray BLK weaves between genre boundaries borrowing the elements she requires to reach her goals. "I feel proud when my music connects with people," says the 22-year-old from Catford, South London.
Ray's first experiences of music came at a very early age, when she recalls dancing to Missy Elliott and Timbaland on MTV Bass at the age of seven "From that age I thought, this is what I want to do," she recalls. "I remember singing and dancing along to all of it and thinking 'Oh my god, I'd love to be doing this.'"
From the age of ten, Ray was already setting her dream in motion, filling her school notebooks with original song lyrics, prompting teachers to put her on a gifted and talented music programme. Despite her early experiments with music, it wasn't until her final year of studying English Literature at university that she decided she wanted to share her music with the world. Delving into a catalogue of rough recordings she'd been making since the age of sixteen, she picked out her strongest songs and began scouring YouTube for instrumentals. The songs told the tale of a broken hearted girl who grew to hate men, and reminded her of a character from her studies, hence she titled it 'Havisham', based on the Dickensian spinster from 'Great Expectations'.
Lyrically, Ray's music is very candid; she isn't trying to gloss over situations and paint her life as a fairytale. "I say it how it is," Ray admits. "The music that I love is the stuff that gives it to you raw. Then you can really connect with it. I listen predominantly to rap music, which is like that all the time, so I think the influences come from there. It's important to stand for something, to have my music stand for something," says Ray. "So these are things that are really important to me." The surname BLK that she's adopted, is a constant reminder of her values: Building Living Knowing.
At the end of last year Ray released '50/50' a track that would open up a new chapter in her career. Premiering on I-D Magazine with a visual depicting BLK and her all-girl mob hanging out in her native Catford, from the streets to the salon, as she tells the tale of a rocky relationship with a drug dealer with commitment issues. The Aston Rudi - produced track would snowball in popularity, securing A-List spots with 1Xtra and Rinse FM, record of the week from Huw Stephens, spins from Annie Mac, Julie Adenuga and Toddla T as well as the support of media platforms such as Complex, Noisey, HypeTrak and MTV. The attention came as a surprise: "I'm really happy with how well the track has been received. I definitely didn't expect it to be noticed as much as it has been, particularly since I put it out on my own channel."
"This new body of work feels so different," says Ray.
While she still appreciates her former project, she's since found her
sound which lies in a space between London's forward-thinking electronic
production and the Bad Boy Records remixes that she grew up on.
"Beforehand I was using found instrumentals, so none of them were
tailored to me," she explains. "Now I'm blessed to be working
with people to actually create something that feels like me."
Ray BLK intends to keep the ball rolling, now putting her focus
on music full time. She intends to be braver creatively moving forward,
off the success of '50/50' and to continue to develop her live show.
"The goal is to make people feel something," she explains. "I
love doing shows. I'm so scared before every single one, but I love
every single one. I want to do more shows in front of bigger audiences
and connect with more people."
Ray BLK
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27 Jun, 2019
Glastonbury Festival: Sunday 30th June, 2019
The Cure will headline the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival on Sunday, and the day features many artists from the Primary Talent International roster.
11.50-12.30: Circa Waves (Other Stage)
14.30-15.30: Self Esteem (Pussy Parlure)
16.00-16.40: Nilüfer Yanya (William's Green)
16.00-17.00: Joy Crookes (Pussy Parlure)
16.00-17.00: Tiffany Calver (Gully Blues)
17.00-18.00: Steel Banglez (Gully Blues)
17.15-18.15: Ray BLK (Sonic)
17.15-18.15: Loyle Carner (Other Stage)
17.20-18.20: The Bootleg Beatles (Acoustic Stage)
18.00-18.40: Ten Tonnes (William's Green)
18.00-19.00: DJ Vadim ft Kiko Bun (The Bug at Arcadia)
20.15-21.15: Dave (Other Stage)
21.15-23.30: The Cure (Pyramid Stage)
21.30-22.45: The Streets (John Peel Stage)
23.15-00.30: Maverick Sabre (Sonic)
00.00-01.00: Kasra (Arcadia's Pangea)
01.00-02.00: High Contrast DJ (Samula)
01.00-03.00: Mike Skinner DJ (The Rum Shack)www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
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09 Apr, 2019
Latitude Festival 2019 - New Additions
Over 100 new acts have been added to the Latitude festival bill, taking place in Suffolk in July. Joining the Primary Talent International artists already announced, will be:
...Ray BLK
...The Japanese House
...Beabadoobee
...Crows
...Nilüfer Yanya
...Art School Girlfriend
...Chappaqua Wrestling
...CHILDCARE
...Self Esteem
...Zuzu
...Joy Crookes
...Arlo Day
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10 Aug, 2018
Ray BLK: New Single 'Run Run' In The Guardian
Ray BLK discusses her new single 'Run Run', and the subject of youth violence in London in The Guardian.
www.theguardian.com/music/2018/aug/09/ray-blk-single-youth-violence-drugs-london
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19 Jan, 2018
Unsigned Music Awards 2018
Many Primary Talent International artists have been longlisted in the Unsigned Music Awards. The shortlists will be announced on 7th March, and the final winners at an event at the Brighton Centre on 16th May, as part of the opening ceremony of the Great Escape Festival.
Best Male Solo Act
...Benny Mails
...Col3trane
...Puma BlueBest Female Solo Act
...Bryde
...Joy Crookes
...Lyves
...Ray BLKBest Songwriter
...CarmodyBest Urban Act
...Awate
...Benny Mails
...Dave
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14 Nov, 2017
Ray BLK: Featured In The NME
Ray BLK's highly anticipated debut album is released in the new year, see her on tour in the UK during December. She is featured in the current NME.
www.nme.com/news/music/ray-blk-debut-album-feminist-2018-interview-release-2159054
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07 Sep, 2017
La Merce / BAM Festival Barcelona
La Merce / BAM Festival will take place at various venues around Barcelona, Spain from 22nd to 25th September. The following Primary Talent artists will be participating, see their artists pages for full details.
...Spiral Stairs
...Marika Hackman
...Nilufer Yanya
...Ray BLK
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11 Jul, 2017
Lovebox Festival 2017
Lovebox will take place this weekend in Victoria Park, Hackney in London. Friday's line up will feature:
...Solange
...Ray BLK
...Tenderwww.loveboxfestival.com/programme/tag/friday
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18 May, 2017
The Great Escape Festival Spotlight Shows
The Great Escape festival begins today at many different venues across Brighton, and features some "stand-alone" Spotlight Shows. These include...
...Kano & Friends (Friday 19th May)
...Ray BLK (Saturday 20th, w/Rag'n'Bone Man)www.greatescapefestival.com/signup-spotlight-shows
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26 Mar, 2017
Ray BLK: At The Jazz Cafe, London
Ray BLK's performance at the Jazz Cafe in London, for Annie Mac Presents, was reviewed in The Independent.
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16 Mar, 2017
Wilderness Festival 2017
The Wilderness Festival in Cornbury, nr.Oxford runs from 3rd-6th August and will feature Primary Talent artists Two Door Cinema Club & Ray BLK.
