EXCLUSIVE: Raye breaks down in tears as she discusses substance abuse and ‘reaching her limit’ with her old record label in emotional documentary

Raye has opened up emotionally about her past experiences in the music industry in her new BBC Two documentary for Louis Theroux Interviews.

The 26-year-old singer broke down in tears as she revealed she was “in a constant state of stupor” when she first started her career.

In a very honest interview that aired Tuesday night, Raye said she just wanted to “be in control of her life” as she discussed her frustration with her old label Polydor, which wouldn’t allow her to release an album.

The You Don’t Know Me singer, whose real name is Rachel Keen, admitted to using ‘codine’ and ‘MDMA’ when she ‘reached her limit’ and ‘had nothing left to lose’.

She said: ‘I don’t think I was coping well with my career because I was just in a constant state of sedation just to cope. Whether it’s weed or other things I write about on my album.

The 26-year-old singer broke down in tears as she revealed she was ‘in a constant state of stupor’ when she first started her career

“Here’s the thing, when I got sober, I realized, wow, I can’t do this sober. For example, this is deep. It’s actually deep.

“It’s so profound what I realized that I had actually done to myself as a person to try to be someone they wanted me to be.

‘And it’s so sad. So I just got to the point where I was like, “What is my life right now?” “What is the point?”

“Yes, so I had reached a point where I had nothing left to lose. Yeah, so I just thought, “F*** it.” I’ve definitely reached my limit.’

Raye took to social media when she reached breaking point after her label wouldn’t allow her to release an album.

She continued, “But that’s how far you’re pushing me. They’re listening to me now, listening to their artists in pain, or we’re breaking up, and they can save themselves this headache because I’m about to make it a headache.

‘The alarm goes off at the label, and then they say: you can make your album, or how will it turn out afterwards? No, it was a lot. It was actually,

‘No, it was very much, ‘Can you please stop giving interviews? Actually stop talking about it?’ and I thought, “I will if you let me go, so just let me go, please.” And I’m so lucky that they just…

In the interview, which airs Tuesday, Raye said she just wanted to “be in control of her life” as she discusses her frustration that her label won’t allow her to release an album.

The You Don’t Know Me singer, whose real name is Rachel Keen, admitted to using ‘codine’ and ‘MDMA’ when she ‘reached her limit’ and ‘had nothing left to lose’

Louis asked the singer if she had heard anything from her old label since they left her.

Raye said: ‘Um, yes, yes. I did get some flowers, so that was nice, it’s just honest: it irritates me when you know that i really need to find the true true peace that i struggle with at the end of the day.

‘It should simply come down to a creator believing in what he has created. It’s so simple: I just want to be someone in control of my life.’

Raye’s album My 21st Century Blues is her first project after her departure from Polydor Records in 2021.

The singer addresses substance abuse, abuse and sexual violence and fear in her lyrics, and previously explained why she did not want to avoid ‘difficult’ topics.

She told MailOnline: ‘I just want to be a woman who discusses uncomfortable topics that we don’t talk about, these are all things I struggled with in the dark and in silence.

“You just hope by writing about these songs and putting them out into the world, you just hope that people hear them and relate to them as well.

‘It’s very much a drug, in a way that makes you feel differently, to add quite a painful emotion to it.

Raye’s album My 21st Century Blues is her first project after her departure from Polydor Records in 2021

The singer addresses substance abuse, sexual assault and sexual violence and fear in her lyrics, and previously explained why she did not want to avoid ‘difficult’ topics.

“For me, it’s just very empowering, and I hope it can be a medicine for everyone who needs it.”

While the process of writing the songs was cathartic, it also led to candid and candid conversations with her loved ones — some of whom had no idea she had battled demons.

They were songs Raye had been working on for years but was unable to release while she was embroiled in a battle with her old label Polydor, who she says “controlled and manipulated” her.

Until 2021, outsiders saw Raye – who first rose to fame for her role on Jonas Blue’s 2016 single By Your Side – flourishing after having seven top 20 hits to her name and songwriting credits for Beyonce, John Legend and Charli XCX.

But she felt trapped in a four-album recording contract with no album to her name.

She informed the world of her situation in a strongly worded tweet she posted when she had “reached breaking point” and was able to leave her label last year.