RAYE Attacks The “Evil” Practices Of The Music Business And Asserts That Songwriters Are Being Controlled

UK singer and Brits Award-winner RAYE has denounced “evil” music industry practices, alleging that “songwriters are being manipulated.” The singer made these remarks while chatting with Rolling Stone backstage at Coachella.

She made it very evident that the songs are being written by some extremely gifted people who are unable to pay their rent, which makes it so “incorrect.” She called such derogatory treatment “evil.”  She continued by saying that songwriters are being manipulated and that “artists with big platforms and big songwriters” had to “help take a stand.”

She claimed that one prevalent practice in the industry was record companies pressuring composers to agree to a 10 percent share and no master royalty points. They achieve this by threatening to discontinue releasing their tracks. According to RAYE, working-class songwriters face discrimination in the industry as a result of unfair compensation.

Finally, RAYE stated that although there is a major problem in the industry, songwriters should be fairly compensated and treated with respect.

The singer-songwriter has already voiced concerns about songwriters’ inadequate compensation. She had called out music business executives in March for underpaying authors while pocketing enormous profits. The way songwriters are currently assigned master royalty points is another thing she decried.

RAYE left her previous record label Polydor a few weeks after accusing the company of keeping her from releasing her debut album in 2021. In 2023, she independently published “My 21st Century Blues,” her debut album.