The singer-songwriter announced her 14-track, debut studio album ‘Access Denied‘ this week. The LP will be released on September 17th via Island Records and can be expected to be the perfect summer album.

‘Access Denied‘, which has been greatly anticipated, has also been teased through the release of a new single which came out on July 6th. Titled  ‘M.I.A.’ and featuring Kaash Paige, the new single titled, ‘M.I.A.’ is everything that could have been hoped for and more. It has also sparked high expectations for the full album. Prior to this latest single, Ray has also been busy this year, with the release of ‘Dark Skinned‘ and ‘Games‘ ft. Giggs.

Ray BLK (Rita Ekwere) helped describe the origins and idea behind ‘Access Denied‘, stating that it’s “my summer anthem as we’re released from lockdown. It’s just about escaping, or being with someone who feels like an escape, like you’re on holiday and just at peace, away from the noise. After being in lockdown for so long and being overwhelmed or feeling low, I’m ready to be out with the people I love the most in our element with this playing in the background as the soundtrack to our summer“.

“M.I.A.” will be featured on the upcoming studio album ‘Access Denied‘ along with ‘Dark Skinned‘ and ‘Games‘. The debut album therefore consists of a list of boast-worthy features – from Kaash Paige to Giggs, Stefflon Don, Kojey Radical and Suburban Plaza.

Ray BLK spoke to the Radio 1 Newsbeast about why it has taken a long period of time to produce her new album. She explained that “I am the same artist, but I’m a different person now“. The press release also allowed Ray to discuss the difficulties that are introduced with the exposure of fame and the multiple hardships artists face in the music industry. In comparison to these risks which easily take their toll on artists, Ray explained that she has had “a lot of fun” in the creation of ‘Access Denied‘:

“I’m not pretending to be somebody else. It wasn’t rushed. It’s been a blessing“.

Ray BLK also took to instagram in celebration of her new single, and commented that:

“I’ve been looking forward to this moment of releasing my debut album since I was 13 in the studio with MNEK learning how to write songs and knew for certain I wanted to be a singer”.

“Access Denied is for those who like myself, know disappointment too well and have learned to create boundaries as a coping mechanism for self protection. I’ve opened up about how the childhood I had made me guarded, how disappointing relationships made me fear love and how being told no so many times in the music industry kicked me down, but I got back up. I want people to listen to this record and value themselves enough to deny access to those who are undeserving, and to also value themselves enough to keep believing in themselves when they’re denied access to certain spaces and say yes to themselves when the world tells them no”.

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Access Denied:

01 Blk Madonna
02 Lovesick
03 Smoke [ft. Kojey Radical]
04 25
05 Lauren’s Skit
06 Access Denied
07 Baggage
08 Games [ft. Giggs]
09 If I Die
10 MIA [ft. Kaash Paige]
11 Mine
12 Dark Skinned
13 Go-go Girl [ft. Suburban Plaza]
14 Over You [ft. Stefflon Don]

While awaiting the release of ‘Access Denied’ you can enjoy Ray BLK’s single  ‘M.I.A.’ below.

The song begins with the characteristically nonchalant flow of Giggs, as the rapper humorously describes his perspective of a relationship where, as the title of the track suggests, both parties are “playing games”. His calmly delivered witty observations are perfectly complemented by Ray BLK’s smoothly sung chorus, where she says to her fellow women, “Don’t trust the game, baby/ Don’t fall in love”. The song is driven by this dual-perspective, something that the music video itself seeks to emphasise as the camera pans throughout a room where various couples are having arguments.

Games featuring king @officialgiggs OUT NOW > https://t.co/bwFJGupnXC pic.twitter.com/kKa1uFYQyR

— Ray BLK (@RayBLK_) March 4, 2021

Giggs has been particularly busy in 2021, releasing both a collaboration with Ghetts on ‘Crud’ in February and a new ‘Daily Duppy’ freestyle last week. It is unsurprising that Ray BLK enlists the veteran MC on this track, having had a history of collaborating with artists from the UK rap scene. Notably, in 2016, the 26-year-old teamed up with Stormzy on ‘My Hood’, a song that celebrated her South London roots.

Whilst afroswing and rap are currently huge parts of the British music scene, R&B is perhaps struggling a bit more to establish itself in the mainstream. This is something that Ray BLK herself acknowledged in an interview with NME in 2020.  She spoke about the current state of R&B in the UK; the genre’s history in the country; and where it needs to be in the future: “I feel like sometimes we forget the people that have come before. Definitely there’s a lot of work to be done to bring R&B in the UK to the forefront, but I also don’t want to negate what the people who have come before us have done: Ms. Dynamite winning a Brit, winning MOBOs, winning a Mercury; Estelle having a global smash. They’re from the UK.” Indeed, the Catford-raised singer will hope to emulate the artists that came before her and be part of any R&B renaissance that the UK might host.

Despite the popularity of Ray BLK, she has only dropped two EPs thus far: ‘Durt’ in 2016 and ‘Empress’ in 2018. Without the release of a full-length project yet, fans are still waiting for her debut album. Towards the end of the ‘Games’ music video, the song fades out and Ray BLK seems to tease her fans with a preview of another new song, as she sings, “I know I got some issues/ Loving me ain’t easy.” Therefore, if this indicates that the singer is putting together a string of singles, fans could be lucky enough to receive her highly anticipated debut album this year.

Check out the video for ‘Games’ below:

The announcement comes after the future of the festival was called into question but, following the successful ‘Save Hidden Door’ fundraising campaign, which saw the community come together to raise £40k, which secured the festival’s future. Hidden Door will be running this year, with a shorter programme, with the view of returning in full for 2020.

Speaking about the festival, Creative Director of Hidden Door, David Martin, said: “Hidden Door wants to make a difference to Edinburgh – we want to play a part in making sure the people who live in this city have the chance to experience some of the very best, most exciting, and beautiful music of today, right on their doorstep, in a venue worthy of the city. That’s why we are putting on this weekender and continuing our work to make the Leith Theatre fulfil its potential.

“The music will be incredible, but Hidden Door is more than just a set of gigs. We are bringing together some of our favourite visual artists from the past five years to embellish and adorn the venue, and together with our incredible production team, we’ll be showing the Leith Theatre off in a more visually stunning and immersive way than ever before! This year, with the acts we have secured, coming to the Leith Theatre will be a truly sublime experience!”

Among the first wave of acts to be confirmed to be performing at the festival and joining headliner Ray BLK and Let’s Eat Grandma are The Honey Farm, Chuchoter, and DJ Sarra Wild. The following names are also on the bill and joining the already stellar line-up is George Fitzgerald, Nathan Fake, Maranta, Kelly Lee Owens, and Cigarettes After Sex.

The opening night of the festival, presented in partnership with The List, will be a dynamic line-up led by females, which is Hidden Door’s way of rebuking the gender imbalance in the UK festival scene. The bill will lead with R&B star Ray BLK, winner of the BBC Sound of 2017; experimental pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma, Scottish rhyme champions and hip-hop maestras The Honey Farm; Edinburgh’s own indie-electro pop dup Chuchoter; before closing with a set from OH141’s fearless leader DJ Sarra Wild.

Meanwhile, Friday will boast a seamless nine-hour programme of electronic music from 6pm to 3am, with a live house and techno set from BBC Radio 1 resident George Fitzgerald, as well as indie label Ninja Tune’s Nathan Fake, who will be playing into the early hours alongside Edinburgh electronic act Maranta and the great Kelly Lee Owens.

Speaking about the stellar programme, Editor in Chief at The List, Arusa Qureshi, said: “We are really pleased to be involved with Hidden Door again this year. As one of our top events in the city, being asked to programme the opening night has been an absolute pleasure and we’re very excited to share our line-up with everyone.

“The wonderful Ray BLK, who was the first unsigned winner of the BBC’s Sound Of competition, and experimental pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma will no doubt ensure that it’s an awesome party but we’re also so happy to have List favourites The Honey Farm, Chuchoter and Sarra Wild on the bill, along with various other surprises. We’re certain that this year’s Hidden Door will be the best yet.”

With the programme confirmed for Thursday, Friday and Sunday, organisers originally kept back news of Saturday’s nine hour marathon of music, but it has been confirmed that the Crystal Fighters will take to the stage of Saturday. Meanwhile, Sunday’s closing act will be the acclaimed American pop group Cigarettes After Sex, who shoot to fame with their hit ‘Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby’ and their 2017 debut album.