RAYE collected an Ivors Academy Honour at a ceremony in London on Thursday night (Oct. 2) in recognition of her songwriting advocacy.
The 27-year-old musician has fought for fairer representation and pay for songwriters in the music industry. She was a leading voice in a campaign that resulted in U.K. major labels committing to introducing a per diem and cover expenses for songwriters attending their writing sessions, marking the first time such an initiative has been brought up anywhere in the world.
Speaking from the stage at the Intercontinental London, RAYE said, “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, or to be in a good situation financially to be a songwriter. It shouldn’t be about that.”
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She continued to ask for more changes in the way that songwriters are compensated. She called for “points on the master” in reference to royalty splits, and acknowledged that she might be “pissing people off” but that the fact songwriters aren’t recognized “doesn’t make any sense to me.”
RAYE added, “Songwriters, I want to encourage us to talk in the songwriter split conversations. This industry has become exceptional at dividing us and pitting us against each other. We get told ‘if you don’t approve this songwriter split the song won’t get released, if you don’t approve we’re never using you again’. Those lies and manipulation tactics need to be over. Eliminate the grey areas, eliminate us fighting against each other and let’s work together to lead the fight to the labels to make them understand that we’re not going to stop until songwriters are correctly compensated for their songs.”
RAYE began writing songs for other artists in 2015, and over the years has amassed credits on work by Charli XCX (“After the Afterparty,” 2016), John Legend (“A Good Night,” 2018) and Beyoncé (“Bigger,” 2019 & “Riiverdance,” 2024) among others. Following a dispute with her record label, Polydor, she left the major label system to release her debut album 21st Century Blues (2023), which peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. Albums Chart.
A year later in 2024 she collected six BRIT awards, using one of her speeches to advocate for better conditions for songwriters and bring the conversation into mainstream spaces. “British music industry, please – I want to have a lovely, brief conversation about normalizing [business by] giving songwriters master royalty points,” she said. “It means if the songs win big, the writers get to win too. Please allow that to happen, please.”
RAYE also received a Grammy nomination for best new artist at the ceremony in February.
RAYE is set to release her second studio LP next year, and will play six nights at The O2 in London as part of a global arena tour. “Where Is My Husband!”, the LP’s lead single, was released in September and debuted at No. 4 on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart.
Kae Tempest was also recognised for his work as a songwriter and lyricist. Tempest has been nominated for the Mercury Prize twice (2014, 2016) and recently released his new album, Self Titled. In August 2020, Tempest came out as non-binary and in 2023 a BBC documentary showed Tempest’s experiences having top surgery and beginning to take testosterone, as well as his mental health struggles while being a musician. In 2025, Tempest shared that he now used he/him pronouns.
During his speech, Tempest performed an a capella version of his song “I Stand on the Line” which celebrates his identity: “With all the problems that we have to contend with/ Why are trans bodies always on the agenda?”
A number of key industry executives were also honored at the ceremony which celebrates advocates and innovators who champion songwriters and composers: including Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group; Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade; Kanya King CBE, chief executive and founder of the MOBO Group; Jon Platt, chairman and CEO of Sony Music Publishing; and Catherine Manners, founder of music publishing and creative services firm Manners McDade.
The night also featured a posthumous honor for the late John Sweeney, VP international of SESAC, who died in June 2025.
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