My 21st Century Blues (2023)

My 21st Century Blues is the debut studio album by the British singer-songwriter Raye. It was released independently by Human Re Sources on 3 February 2023. It marked her first project following her departure from the record label, Polydor Records, in 2021, which allegedly denied her the release of an album for several years. Largely written and co-produced by herself, she worked with various collaborators, including Mike Sabath, BloodPop, Punctual, and Di Genius. 070 Shake and Mahalia appear as featured artists. Encompassing multiple genres, My 21st Century Blues explores Raye's struggles with drug addictions, body dysmorphia, and sexual assault, alongside other themes.

My 21st Century Blues spawned seven singles. "Escapism", the album's third single, went viral and became Raye's first song to top the national charts of Ireland, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. It received various accolades and certifications. Other charting singles include "Flip a Switch" and "Worth It", which peaked within the top 40 on the UK singles chart. The album was further supported by a headlining concert tour during 2023 and 2024, and was followed by a live album recorded at the Royal Albert Hall.

Upon its release, My 21st Century Blues received acclaim from music critics, many of whom described it as a victory for Raye and praised her performance. Several publications named it one of the best albums of 2023. Commercially, the album debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and reached the national rankings of 15 other territories, including top 20 positions in Ireland, Norway, Scotland, and Switzerland. Additionally, it was certified gold in four countries. The album received various accolades, including Album of the Year nominations at the Mercury Prize and MOBO Awards. In 2024, it won British Album of the Year at the Brit Awards, where Raye broke the record for the most wins in a single ceremony.

Background

The British singer-songwriter Raye, born Rachel Keen, demonstrated an interest in music from a young age, entering the BRIT School at 10. She focused on writing music after school with assistance from teachers. In 2014, at age 16, Raye self-released the EP Welcome to the Winter on SoundCloud. She signed to the record label Polydor Records in the same year after she was recommended by the singer Olly Alexander, and had an R&B album already written and ready to be released. She subsequently started working on her music, and co-wrote songs for several artists, including Beyoncé and Charli XCX. Raye spawned two top 20 singles in the United Kingdom, and the platinum-certified collaborations "You Don't Know Me" (2016), "Secrets" (2020), and "Bed" (2021).

According to Raye, Polydor pressured her to release "chart-friendly dance tracks" that she did not like. Releasing music of several genres, she struggled with her own identity, saying that she "didn't know who [she] was" musically, later believing that it was not consistent. Raye released various projects, including an extended play (EP) titled Euphoric Sad Songs (2020). In June 2021, the singer was informed that she could not release a debut album with Polydor if her single "Call on Me" (2021) underperformed on record charts. She later expressed her frustration through tweets and received support from fellow musicians, before parting ways with the label and becoming an independent artist. In 2022, she signed with the distribution company Human Re Sources, and began to own her master recordings.

Writing and recording

After her departure from Polydor, Raye began focusing on My 21st Century Blues, and co-wrote the song "Hard Out Here". The idea for the album began with its title, as she decided to "tell [her] blues", and felt relevant being "honest about those things [she] kept in the darkness for so many years". Most of the music she wrote for the album was negatively received by representatives from other labels, and Raye had no "choice but to go independent". Some songs present on the final track listing—including "Oscar Winning Tears", "Worth It", and "Ice Cream Man"—were written several years before the release of My 21st Century Blues, while being included as they "fit the theme" of the album. She wrote these songs between the ages 18 and 20. Raye stated that the album is her "little mosaic of stories [she] collected". It was recorded at several places, including Valentine Recording Studio in Los Angeles ("The Thrill is Gone"), and at a residential studio in Utah ("Escapism"). The first beat for the latter was created by her collaborator Mike Sabath; Raye thought that it fit the theme of the song and decided to call the American rapper 070 Shake to collaborate on the track.