RAYE Honored for Songwriting Advocacy at Ivors Academy Ceremony in London

London, England – RAYE collected an Ivors Academy Honour on October 2, 2025, for her dedication to advocating for songwriters’ rights and fair pay. The 27-year-old singer-songwriter received the award during a ceremony at the Intercontinental London.

RAYE has been a prominent voice in the campaign for better representation of songwriters in the music industry. Her efforts have led U.K. major labels to commit to covering expenses for songwriters during writing sessions, a groundbreaking initiative in the global music scene.

Speaking from the stage, RAYE emphasized the importance of accessibility in songwriting. She stated, “Being a songwriter is also one of the greatest privileges, and I think it’s something that should be about grafting and talent, not about how rich you are.” She called for more transparency in royalty splits and urged fellow songwriters to advocate for their worth.

RAYE acknowledged that her demands might upset some in the industry, saying, “Those lies and manipulation tactics need to be over. We need to work together to make labels understand that we’re not going to stop until songwriters are correctly compensated for their songs.”

RAYE began her career writing songs for other artists and has since written for notable names such as Charli XCX and John Legend. After leaving her major label, Polydor, she released her debut album, 21st Century Blues, which peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. Albums Chart. In 2024, she received six BRIT Awards and continued to advocate for rights as part of her acceptance speech.

At the ceremony, other honorees included Tempest, who performed an emotional song highlighting his journey as a non-binary artist, and industry leaders like Sir Richard Branson and Jon Platt, who received recognition for their contributions to music.

Branson shared anecdotes from his time in the industry, emphasizing the value of supporting innovative artists. He expressed a sense of pride in his legacy and the impact of Virgin Records on the music landscape. RAYE’s second album is set to release next year, following the recent success of her lead single, “Where Is My Husband!”