I hardly watch movies; juggling both work and grad school means that I don’t have many free evenings when I can just plop down in front of the television for two or more hours. But I will be tuning in to the Oscars tonight, even though the only movie up for an award that I’ve actually seen is Wicked. I don’t care about any of the films or their actors, but I am obsessed with one star who will be taking the stage: Raye, a British singer and songwriter. 

There’s a decent chance you haven’t heard of Raye, even though her music should be heard by everyone. Her debut studio album My 21st Century Blues was a super hit in England, and she made history at the 2024 Brit Awards as the artist to receive the most awards in a single ceremony. She’s made a handful of appearances in the States — on Saturday Night Live, and recently at the Grammy Awards — but hasn’t quite gotten proper recognition outside of the United Kingdom. 

Sure, Raye’s music has won awards, and deservedly so. But the fantastic thing about Raye isn’t her recorded albums. She’s truly an artist who reimagines all her songs for each live performance, turning the original pop and R&B tracks into jazz orchestral productions — and each new rendition seems to get better than the last. Raye’s creative brilliance is complemented by her vast range; her voice is a playground, and she’s just having fun swinging from note to note. Perhaps the only disappointing thing about Raye is that she hasn’t released more music. 

Hopefully, Raye’s performance at the Oscars — which I predict will include her song “Oscar Winning Tears” — will boost her popularity in America. For those looking for an introduction to Raye’s work, the live version of  My 21st Century Blues with the Heritage Orchestra is a good place to start. But, to be honest, anything of hers that you listen to will be good.