The Zane Lowe Interview Series RAYE
Apr 1, 2026
RAYE, British singer-songwriter and BRIT Award winner known for blending pop, soul and electronic sounds. She talks about making a maximal, deeply personal sophomore album. She explains breaking from industry expectations and winning independence. She describes family collaborations, orchestral arrangements, viral leverage moments and recording with Al Green’s band.
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Build A Tiny Trusted Team
- Trust a small, loyal team rooted in your real relationships rather than industry promises.
- RAYE credits her parents and close-knit team for safety after years of being 'toyed with' by executives as a young artist.
Seven Negronis In A Paris Bar Intro
- RAYE opens the album with a Paris bar monologue after drinking seven Negronis, framing the record in theatrical self-observation.
- She invokes 'sonder' and describes being alone, people-watching and feeling both chic and depressed.
Turning Mantras Into Orchestral Medicine
- RAYE uses mantra-style lyrics like 'I will overcome' as intentional psychological tools, pairing them with orchestral arrangements to avoid cliché.
- She collaborated with Tom Richards and Chris Hill to scale the phrase into a sweeping, believable statement.