RAYE to Receive Ivors Academy Honour Following Songwriter Royalties Campaign

UPDATE (Sep. 8): Further recipients have been announced for the Ivors Academy Honours event (Oct. 2) including industry legends and government figures. Joining RAYE and Kae Tempest as honorees at the ceremony in London are Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group; Kanya King CBE, chief executive and founder of the MOBO Group; Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade; Jon Platt, chairman and CEO of Sony Music Publishing; Catherine Manners, founder of Manners McDade; and the late John Sweeney, vice president, international at SESAC.

The event takes place at London’s InterContinental on Park Lane with recipients all being recognised for their work championing songwriters and composers during their time in the industry.

PREVIOUSLY (July 24): RAYE has carved out yet another milestone in her ascendant career by becoming a recipient of an Ivors Academy Honour.

The Ivors Academy has announced that the multi BRIT award-winning musician will receive the accolade at the maiden Ivors Academy Honours event in London this fall (Oct. 2). The ceremony is set to celebrate the artists and industry figures driving positive change for songwriters and composers, and will take place at the InterContinental London Park Lane.

The news follows the announcement that the U.K. government has confirmed the introduction of a £75 per diem for songwriters and session musicians. The agreement has been backed by the U.K. arms of major labels Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group.

At The Ivors in 2023, RAYE called on labels to allocate songwriters a share of master recording revenues. In her acceptance speech for the best contemporary song award – which she won for smash hit “Escapism” – she highlighted the need for a greater level of respect to be shown towards “voiceless beating heart of the industry, which is songwriters.”

In a statement, Roberto Neri, chief executive of The Ivors Academy said, “An incredible multi award-winning artist, RAYE is the 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.”

Over the past few years, south Londoner RAYE (born Rachel Keen) has been at the forefront of this conversation, repeatedly pushing for a more inclusive and equitable music industry while also speaking out about the imbalance of power between artists and labels and the financial challenges faced by new artists.

She split with her former label Polydor in July 2021, to which she signed in 2014, after taking to social media to explain that they would not let her release any new music unless her singles reached a certain level of commercial success. She has since worked as an independent act via distribution company Human Re Sources, a subsidiary of The Orchard. Her Mercury Prize-nominated debut LP My 21st Century Blues landed in February 2023, hitting No. 2 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.

The vocalist is currently gearing up for her biggest headline show to date at London’s All Points East festival on Aug. 23. Support acts include Doechii, Cat Burns, and JADE, while Tyla is billed as a special guest.