Watch Emotional Moment As British Ghanaian Singer Raye Brings Her Grandmom On Stage At BRIT Awards 2024
Intense emotions filled the atmosphere as British Ghanaian singer Raye called her grandmother on stage to accept one of the numerous awards she received at the recently concluded BRIT Awards 2024.
Raye clinched six out of seven BRIT Awards at the esteemed music event on Saturday evening. The talented singer made history by winning more BRIT awards in a single ceremony than any other artist ever at London’s O2 Arena.
The 26-year-old artist bagged the first award of the night, Song of the Year for her hit, Escapism ft 070 Shake, followed by the R&B Act Gong and Best New Artist.
The touching moment came when she later received Album Of The Year, Artist Of The Year, and Songwriter of the Year, and even brought her cherished grandmother on stage.
With this achievement, the star now holds the record for the most BRITs won at a single ceremony, surpassing the previous record of four jointly held by Blur, Adele, and Harry Styles.
Upon accepting her first award of the night, she said: “I’m shaking. I don’t really know what to say right now, but… thank you. I’ve always dreamed of saying that.”
Accepting Best New Artist just minutes afterwards, the emotional star told the crowd: “What is actually happening right now ’cause I just don’t understand!”
She referenced her new beginning in her Best New Artist Speech.
“I have to thank my mum and my dad who are also part of my team, and my grandma. Yes grandma! I, in ways, do feel like a new artist. I released my first song when I was 15, my first mixtape when I was 16, don’t go and listen to it because it’s not that good any more.”
“But I do feel like a new artist, I got to start again. The artist I was three years ago would not believe what she’s seeing today. I’m my own boss now, I’m in control. Thank you!”
Raye, born Rachel Agatha Keen on October 24, 1997, in Tooting, London, has a Ghanaian-Swiss mother who works in mental health and an English father from Yorkshire.
Her middle name, ‘Agatha’, is a tribute to her grandmother. Growing up, Raye sang gospel music in her father’s church choir. She later moved to Croydon, attending Coulsdon Church of England Primary School and Woodcote High School before studying at BRIT School at age 14.
Despite dropping out after two years, she honed her songwriting skills during her teenage years through studio sessions on weekends. Raye’s younger sister, Abby Lynn Keen, is also a singer-songwriter known professionally as Absolutely.
