The fatal stabbing of Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Talay Riley in east London has sent shockwaves through the music industry.
Riley, who penned records for stars including Dua Lipa and Britney Spears, was found near Pankhurst Avenue in Silvertown at around 9am having suffered stab wounds.
Despite best efforts from emergency services, the 35-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
Another man in his 20s was found near Rayleigh Road and taken to hospital with multiple stab wounds with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.
Investigations are ongoing into the death of Riley, whose real name was Mark Orabiyi. Three people have been arrested. One man, 27, has been released on bail, while a second man, 24, and woman, 25, have been released with no further action.
Following his death, tributes have poured in across social media from several big names in the industry, including from Stormzy, Craig David, and Rochelle Humes.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Riley’s family said he "brought love, light, and joy to our family and to all who knew him.”
The statement described Talay as a “beautiful spirit” and a “remarkable talent”, whose “memory will remain in our hearts forever.”
Riley earned his reputation as a beloved R&B virtuoso and songwriter for the stars in a career that spanned almost two decades.
Raised in east London
As a young British-Nigerian boy raised in east London, Riley - real name Mark Orabiyi - emerged as a rising talent at the age of 18.
He began performing across the UK’s urban music scene before securing himself a publishing deal with Global Publishing.
Talay’s features on albums by Chipmunk, Wilkinson, and LuvBug saw him land in the UK Top 20 music charts, as well as his own single, Make You Mine, ranking 17th in the UK R&B charts.
Songwriter to the stars
But his career outside of performing is where Riley really made his mark on the music scene.
In 2009, Riley worked with rapper Chip (formerly Chipmunk) to write tracks for his “I Am Chipmunk” album, before writing “Snap” for award-winning rapper Tinie Tempah the following year.
His work with Chipmunk led to a signing with Jive/Sony which paved the way for more success as a songwriter to the stars.
The next decade saw Riley create hits for UK pop and R&B artists such as Ellie Goulding, Jessie J, JLS, and Scorcher.
Stateside, Riley reached peak fame, writing songs and collaborating with the likes of Iggy Azalea, Big Time Rush, Trey Songz, Usher, and Nick Jonas.
Notably, he became a formidable force in the industry when he worked on Britney Spears’ ninth studio album, Glory, in 2016, and was listed as one of the credits on Spears’ promotional single “Clumsy.”
Some of his most famous tracks included work with Chris Brown in 2015 and again in 2017, as well as working with US legends like Khalid and Jason Derulo. Khalid’s 2017 single Young Dumb & Broke credits Riley as a songwriter and reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The hit single has been streamed more than one billion times on Spotify, putting Riley at the forefront of the R&B and pop music scene.
Riley’s career also included collaborations with DJs Martin Garrix and David Guetta, as well as three tracks with Craig David on his new album “The Time is Now” in 2018.
Arguably, his greatest moment was being a part of H.E.R’s album in 2017 for the song “Lights On” - which won a Grammy.
Since 2018, Riley has kept a low profile on social media, but worked with British girl group Flo to receive another Grammy nomination in 2025.
Flo is a London-based girl group who rose to fame after featuring on a remix for Stormzy’s song “Hide and Seek” in 2023.
In March 2026, Riley reflected on his past work, including with US award-winning actress and singer Zendaya.
In the post, Riley reminisced on time spent with “one of the most influential, recognised and established individuals on the planet.” He added that he “thanked God” for the opportunity.
After his hiatus from being a recording artist, Riley announced plans to produce, perform and write his own album entitled Y!NKA under his new pseudonym of the same name.
Tributes pour in
His family’s tribute on Instagram announcing his death has been followed by an outpour of affection for Riley’s work.
His brother, a fellow record producer and songwriter, Scribz Riley, wrote: “My heart is shattered! This doesn’t feel real. It feels like a bad dream.
“Just before he went to sleep we spoke about the future, staying positive and about everything we still had left to do. I never imagined that would be our last conversation.”
Photos shared in the social media post included memories from the songwriter’s childhood as the brothers pose with a white bear.
Stormzy commented on the post: “I’m sorry bro,” while JLS frontman Oritse Williams wrote: “Sending you and your family strength and payers in Jesus name my brother.”
British rapper Wretch 32 wrote on Scribz’s post: “Sending love to you and your family bro. Your brother was a gem & will be missed & never forgotten, Never! RIP.”
Kehlani and Sugababes singer Keisha Buchanan also added their tributes to the post.
Investigations into Riley’s death are ongoing.
Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, who is leading the Met’s investigation, said: “This is a tragic incident and my thoughts remain with Mark’s family and loved ones.
“Our investigation continues at pace. I would like to appeal for anyone who was in the area at the time of this incident to speak to police.
“We are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who might have CCTV or other footage from the morning of the incident that could assist our investigation.”
