Next Wave #1184: Victor Ray

There are few next-gen artists who suck the oxygen out of a room with just a few syllables. With a harsh rasp and delicate command, Victor Ray’s vocal ability sets him apart from his peers. Not to be overlooked or eclipsed, his star shines brighter with every subsequent release.

The 24-year-old Ugandan-born, Newcastle-raised artist went from street performing to TikTok fame, though there’s a promised longevity here that isn’t typically found in viral sensations. “I’m quite a traditional artist, the way I write my music,” he reflects. “I’m always thinking long-term. Social media is like fast food, so it’s important to make content that feels like an extension of the music. You never know how things are going to translate, but my fanbase is supporting my music and it’s only growing.” 

Ray cites Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson, Usher, Ne-Yo, and J. Cole as influences to his timeless sound. Being raised on an eclectic sonic stew has only deepened his artistry, though there’s one undeniable throughline: storytelling. A transfer of visceral emotion, Ray pens songs about mental health, love lost, and the winding journey of becoming. With an ancestral voice Ray invokes his bloodline, setting free those bound by antiquated norms. He resists patriarchal confines and anyone who’s ever said a Black man can’t be soft. 

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Having to unlearn conditioning, he speaks to shattering stigma: “In the Black British culture I grew up in, it’s more difficult to speak so freely about feelings and emotions, but the way that I learned how to sing was through being honest. I realised I was writing good songs when I wasn’t hiding. This career has given me such freedom. I hope it can inspire people who come from places I come from to experience that, too.”

Staying nourished with Manuka honey, ginger lemon tea and “bare water”, Ray is only getting started: he shared his ‘I TRIED.‘ EP in June, performed acclaimed sets at festivals, sold out his first headline show, and toured with the legendary Teddy Swims. “I recently played a sold-out show in London and it’s the biggest show I’ve done here. It was magical! Doing shows completes everything for me because I can finally give the songs away.”

One of the few acts to bloom from social media, able to cultivate a rooted fanbase, Victor Ray remains in awe of the moment. “It’s surreal to see that everyone is still here. I’ve got more music in the pipeline, then next year I’ll be releasing my first album. Lyrically I’m trying to dig deeper than I’ve let myself dig before.”

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Victor wears jacket and trousers by Calvin Klein; rings and bracelet by Giovanni Raspini; shoes by Hogan.