British singer-songwriter RAYE is set to receive a prestigious honour from The Ivors Academy at their inaugural Honours ceremony on October 2, 2025, at the InterContinental London Park Lane.
The recognition comes not just for her impressive musical achievements but specifically for her vocal advocacy work championing fair pay and transparency for songwriters in the streaming era.
As a two-time Ivor Novello Award winner and seven-time BRIT Award recipient, RAYE has leveraged her growing influence to highlight the financial challenges songwriters face since streaming platforms became the dominant music consumption method.
Her efforts have focused particularly on addressing power imbalances between artists, record labels, and streaming services, while pushing for more transparent royalty payment structures that properly value creative contributions.
Challenging industry gatekeepers to ensure songwriters receive fair compensation for their artistic labor.
The Ivors Academy, which represents composers and songwriters across the UK, established the Honours ceremony to recognize individuals who contribute to creating a stronger, fairer, and more inclusive music industry.
RAYE will join other notable recipients including poet Kae Tempest and entrepreneur Richard Branson at the high-profile event, which will be attended by music industry leaders, fellow songwriters, and Ivors Academy members.
RAYE’s recognition is seen as a significant endorsement of advocacy work within the songwriting community and marks the Academy’s commitment to celebrating activist efforts alongside creative talent.
Her campaigning has helped advance conversations about how streaming royalties are distributed and has inspired fellow musicians to join the cause for industry reform.
Tickets for the ceremony will be available to the public, with a 50% discount offered to professional members of the Ivors Academy.
The event provides a platform to elevate discussions about songwriter rights that have traditionally been underrepresented in music industry accolades.
Roberto Neri, Chief Executive of The Ivors Academy, has praised RAYE as one of the most gifted songwriters of her generation, emphasizing her important role in advocating for the music community.
The honour is expected to further amplify RAYE’s influence in reshaping songwriter rights, with potential impacts on policy and business practices extending beyond the UK music scene, setting a precedent for future recognitions combining artistic achievement with activism.
RAYE’s efforts have been instrumental in securing the landmark £75 per diem agreement for songwriters and session musicians, backed by major record labels and achieved through collaboration with The Ivors Academy.
Her advocacy has encouraged many artists to properly register with performance rights organizations to ensure they receive all royalties owed for their creative work.
RAYE has been particularly vocal about the importance of sync deals as a viable income stream that many songwriters fail to adequately explore in today’s digital music economy.
