R&B singer-songwriter Ray BLK has revealed she went into a “major meltdown” when she was told she had topped the BBC Music Sound Of 2017 list.
Speaking to Clara Amfo on Radio 1 on Friday, she said that winning the title, which recognises promising and rising talent in the UK music industry, was completely unexpected.
And judging from this clip by the BBC’s Lizo Mzimba, she wasn’t fibbing…
The winner of BBC Music Sound of 2017 is the brilliant @RayBLK_! Absolutely love her reaction when I told her she'd won #RayBLK #SoundOf2017 pic.twitter.com/A3ejEyi4Ui
— lizo mzimba (@lizo_mzimba) January 6, 2017
“I had a major meltdown, I almost felt a tear coming,” she told the Radio 1 show.“It was really unexpected… My mum went wild, screaming around the house.”Hours before her victory was publicly announced on the radio show, she posted on Twitter: “Life is becoming very surreal. Please never wake me from this dream.”
Life is becoming very surreal. Please never wake me from this dream
— Ray Blizzy (@RayBLK_) January 5, 2017
Ray, 22, beat a longlist of 15 artists for the top spot, previously won by the likes of Adele (2008), Ellie Goulding (2010), Jessie J (2011) and Sam Smith (2014).
She claimed the title over blues and soul star Rag’n'Bone Man, who made number one in charts across Europe with his hit single Human last year.
It was previously announced that the top five artists in the list would also include Raye in third place, Jorja Smith in fourth and Nadia Rose fifth.
Influenced by artists such as Missy Elliott and Timbaland, Ray began recording her own music while studying English Literature at university and in 2015 released her first EP Havisham, named after the jilted Charles Dickens character.
Oh. My. DAYS. Ya girl has made it as the @bbcmusic #SoundOf2017… Literally can't believe it, SO GASSED! pic.twitter.com/c1moHVsVKr
— Ray Blizzy (@RayBLK_) January 6, 2017
She followed it last year with her single 50/50, inspired by a difficult relationship, which was named record of the week on Radio 1′s Huw Stephens show and secured a spot on 1Xtra’s regular playlist.Describing her own music, she told Radio 1 listeners: “It’s a new school R&B – it’s got some soul to it, and it has a hip-hop vibe as well.”Commenting on the stage name ‘BLK’, initials that stand for her key personal values of ‘building,’ ‘living,’ and ‘knowing,’ she said: “I’ve always felt that as an artist you should convey a message to your audience.
Another absolute tune by @RayBLK_ lyrics are absolutely on point! ?????? pic.twitter.com/qTtVNLs0qZ
— Tom Walker (@IamTomWalker) January 6, 2017
“Living, because you only live once and should always live life to the fullest, and knowing because education is really important to me and I believe you keep learning all the way through your life.”
Thanking fans and the radio station for their support “from the get-go,” Ray revealed plans to record new music through the year and said she hoped to start work on an album and a tour.
She also promised live on air that she would appear on Radio 1′s MistaJam show next Monday to perform a live session.