RAYE was warned to "fear" all female pop stars, leaving her with "horrible paranoia and insecurity".
RAYE was taught other women were competition
The 26-year-old singer - who left her record label Polydor in 2021 after five years when they failed to release her debut LP, going on to score huge success with her independently-released album 'My 21st Century Blues' - has blasted the "lies" she was told by male music executives, who made her view other women in the charts as "competition" who were preventing her from doing well.
She told the Sunday Times newspaper's Culture magazine: “When you’re young your mind is malleable, your opinions not always your own.
“As a kid in this industry I had horrible paranoia and insecurity projected on to me. I was told to fear all of the women doing well at the time, like we were competition. Apparently there was only one seat at the table and I had to fight to make it mine. That was such a confusing narrative for me.”
But the 'Escapism' hitmaker then met fellow pop star Charli XCX in London and the 'Boom Clap' singer "tore a knife" through everything she believed.
RAYE added: “She took time out of her busy schedule to direct a music video for me. She invited me to her home in the countryside and we sang into hairbrushes in the mirror, with her giving me tips on how to perform. I remember being in the car [going] back, realising that everything I had been told by men in music was a lie.”
Although the BRIT Award-winning singer has seen things change for women in recent years, she thinks that is down to the attitude of the performers, not a widespread shift in the industry.
She said: “It is a fantastic time to be a female artist.
"The support among women is great. Instead of being insecure about each other, we’re in awe of each other.
"What Taylor Swift has done by re-recording her albums is so inspiring. That’s a ton of hard work to get her rights back. Music contracts can be brutal and they are never in favour of the creatives.”
Tagged in Taylor Swift Charli XCX