RAYE Reminds Artists to ‘Dream Audaciously’ While Accepting Billboard’s Indie Spirit Award
Categoria: Musica
"This has not been a simple journey," the singer said about her career in her acceptance speech.
Por Billboard | 10/06/2026
After shining a light on her journey as an independent artist in her Billboard cover story, RAYE attended Billboard ‘s Indie Power Players event in New York City on Tuesday (June 9) for a well-earned victory lap. Related ‘Terrified,’ ‘Grateful,’ ‘Happy’: How RAYE Went Indie & Exploded Billboard’s 2026 Indie Power Players Revealed Rubén Blades Accepts Billboard’s Icon Award at 2026 Indie Power Players: ‘No One Is Successful Without Help’ After accepting the Indie Spirit Award from Billboard ‘s co-chief content officer Jason Lipshutz, the British singer-songwriter took the podium at The Cutting Room in Manhattan and gave a moving speech chronicling her trajectory as an artist. Touching on many of the points highlighted by her cover story in Billboard ‘s Indie Power Players issue, she spoke about wanting to be a musician since she was 10 years old, signing with former label home Polydor Records and experiencing throughout her contract the frustration of dealing with “people out there — in suits, sometimes — who think that they know best, who think that they get to look you in the eyes and tell you, ‘This is your ceiling.'” “I just want to encourage us to ignore those lies,” she continued, shouting out J Erving — who was in attendance — for believing in her music and signing her to a distribution deal with The Orchard’s Human Re Sources when every other label and company she met with thought her “music was too complicated and weird.” The celebratory night also included awards honoring Rubén Blades and Orchard founder Richard Gottehrer. RAYE also got to sign a poster of her first-ever Billboard cover, which went live in May and found the star also reflecting on her experiences with mental health, trauma and dating. After closing out her This Tour May Contain New Music headlining trek in late May, RAYE is now gearing up to open for Bruno Mars on a run of stadium tour dates. But first, she’ll play a much smaller venue than the ones she’s become accustomed to as of late, performing an intimate set at the Blue Note Jazz Club in NYC for Billboard ‘s Indie Live event on Wednesday night (June 10). Below, read RAYE’s full speech, available to watch above. I first want to just thank you for this honor. I’ve just been eating a lot of burgers recently, so I’m trying to suck in and look elegant. If I sound out of breath, that’s why. Look, this is not a simple business. This is not a simple industry. This has not been a simple journey, but one that actually, maybe, sitting from this seat that I am now, maybe I wouldn’t change anything. I’ve been very vocal in the past about spending seven years at a major record label. When I was a young girl — I was 10 years old — I turned to my dad in the school playground, and I said, “Dad, I’m going to be a recording ar