Raye had a monumental night at the Brit Awards, making history by clinching six out of seven nominations, surpassing the previous record of four wins held by Blur, Adele, and Harry Styles at
a single ceremony. Additionally, she became the first woman to win Songwriter of the Year.
Collecting her awards barefoot, she remarked, "The artist I was three years ago would not believe I'm in control - I'm my own boss."
While Dua Lipa secured the Best Pop Act award, Kylie Minogue received the Global Icon Award.
Expressing gratitude to her fans, Raye stated, "Thank you for giving me this radical sense of confidence that I can do anything."
During the ceremony, she was joined on stage by Monica Dolan, the actress who portrayed her in the recent ITV drama "Mr Bates vs The Post Office." Dolan, who played Mrs. Hamilton, falsely accused of stealing £36,000 from the Post Office, highlighted the need for continued support for postmasters.
Raye, visibly overwhelmed by her wins, brought her grandmother, Agatha, on stage with her while collecting her sixth award, Album of the Year. Her journey to success wasn't straightforward, facing years of rejection from her record label before releasing her songs independently. Her track "Escapism," which won Song of the Year, gained traction on TikTok before reaching number one.
The singer-songwriter emotionally expressed her gratitude, saying, "All I ever wanted to be was an artist, and now I'm an artist with an album of the year."
The ceremony, hosted by Clara Amfo, Maya Jama, and Roman Kemp, emphasized Raye's tenacity and talent. Raye also advocated for fair compensation for songwriters, urging the music industry to prioritize their rights.
Other notable winners included SZA, who won Best International Artist, and Kylie Minogue, who received the Global Icon Award. Calvin Harris won Best Dance Act, and Miley Cyrus's "Flowers" won International Song of the Year.
The Brit Awards also featured a skit where the hosts, dressed in Traitors cloaks, cast votes for the next performer, joined by contestants from the hit BBC One TV show "Traitors." Photo by Raph_PH, Wikimedia commons.