RAYE was “ready to give up” as a singer during her spat with Polydor.
The singer had a very public dispute with her record label Polydor Records, as she claimed they wouldn’t allow her to release an album – despite her being on a four album deal with them.
Now, as an independent artist, RAYE explains how she felt “terrified” about calling out her bosses publicly but she knew it needed to be done.
She said: “I was ready to just give up and not be an artist any more. I felt better but I also felt terrified. I’d put my neck on the line.
“What actually should matter is having artists who build fanbases and sell out shows and stream music, regardless of what genre it is.
“Having a Top 10 is not defining. What it showed me was that we were aiming for two completely different things and we always have been. What makes them proud isn’t what makes me proud.”
RAYE feels “grateful” that they let her leave, and she knows it could have gone a lot worse – but she is still left “raging” about what happened.
She added to The Guardian: “The fact that they did let me go, I’m so grateful because it could have gone all matters of dark. The s**t I have been through, I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies.
“I am just beside myself about how the beautiful songwriters that I know, a lot of whom are women, and a lot of whom are women of colour, are just hustling out here. I’m angry, I’m raging.”
At the time, RAYE said all she cared about was the music.
She explained: “I have been on a 4 ALBUM RECORD DEAL since 2014 !!! And haven’t been allowed to put out one album.
“ALL I CARE ABOUT is the music. Im sick of being slept on and I’m sick of being in pain about it this is not business to me this so personal.”