Popstar Raye will receive an Ivors Academy Honour in recognition of her campaigning to drive positive change for songwriters and composers.
Raye, 27, whose real name is Rachel Agatha Keen, will receive the honour at a ceremony in central London in October for “using her platform to demand greater transparency and fairer pay between labels and artists.”
The seven-time Brit Award winner, known for her hit songs Prada and Escapism, has been described by the academy as “one of the most outspoken and influential advocates for songwriters, using her platform to inspire fellow musicians and bring about positive change.”
This comes after the singer called out label executives at the Ivors 2024 ceremony, urging the music industry to reward the “voiceless beating heart of the industry, which is songwriters”.
Roberto Neri, chief executive of The Ivors Academy, said: “An incredible multi-award-winning artist, RAYE is one of the most gifted songwriters of her generation and always gives full respect and voice to fellow writers.
“She has consistently called for better pay and greater recognition for songwriters, championing structural change to protect the talent behind the music we love.
“We’re proud to honour her with this well-deserved recognition.”
The Ivors Academy Honour aims to celebrate people who champion songwriters and composers and help “build a stronger, fairer and more inclusive music industry.”
Previous winners include songwriter and campaigner Carla Marie Williams, producer Rupert Hine and Glastonbury Festival founder Sir Michael Eavis, and radio presenter Jo Whiley.
The Brit School graduate signed with Polydor Records as a teenager, where she went on to write lyrics for Beyonce and Rihanna, along with lending her vocals to top five hits by David Guetta and Jax Jones.
Despite her talent, her solo work did not reach the same heights, and in 2021, she expressed frustration at her label not letting her release her debut album yet.
By the end of 2022, she had struck out on her own and her dance track Escapism featuring 070 Shake went viral on TikTok, shooting up the charts to number one.
She later released her album My 21st Century Blues in 2023, which reached number two on the UK album charts.
