It’s been a hectic few months for Ray BLK, who tells me she is “shattered” when we meet to discuss her latest project, the biggest of her career to date. The London-born singer, known to her family and friends as Rita Ekwere, plays a pivotal role on and off the screen in BBC One’s upcoming musical drama, Champion.
Created by Queenie author Candice Carty-Williams, the eight-part series introduces us to sparring siblings Bosco Champion (Malcolm Kamulete) and Vita Champion (Déja J Bowens), whose relationship is tested to the limit when they go head-to-head in trying to hit the big time in the music industry. Making her acting debut, Ray portrays Vita’s best friend Honey, who experiences first-hand the harsh realities of the music industry and what it takes to not only survive, but thrive in the high-pressure environment. The South London–based drama focuses on family, love, heartbreak, betrayal and ambition. Original music plays a key role in how this is conveyed, which brings us back to Ray, who serves as the series’ music executive alongside grime rap artist Ghetts.
The series has been billed as a “love letter to Black British music,” which is a responsibility Ray takes great pride in. “It’s about bringing the best of Black British music together and celebrating that,” she tells me. “It’s about being authentic and representing Black culture, which I feel the music and the show has done.”
In reality, 28-year-old Ray has been a recognisable voice since her debut EP Havisham was released in 2015. Her single My Hood dropped a year later, and it was this track that became a reference point for Champion creator Carty-Williams, leading her to approach Ray about creating some music for the series. But after reading the script, Ray — who took acting lessons as a teenager — found herself instantly drawn to the character of Honey and soon requested an audition to star in the show itself.
While there are many moments of light and laughter between Honey and Vita, we also see their friendship become strained when Honey struggles to find her break as Vita’s star rises. Honey is booed and laughed off stage and has her voice silenced in the studio. We also see Bosco battle with his mental health as the pressures of performing and living up to others’ expectations start to take a toll. Ray could relate to this representation of the unforgiving and unpredictable music industry all too well. “One of my favourite things about this industry is that anything can happen,” she explains. “You can have rejection for three years and then one thing goes really well, like a song starts connecting with people, and suddenly all of the doors open at once.”
While the musical portion of Champion came naturally to Ray, who garnered the public’s attention when she won BBC’s Sound Of… poll in 2017, she experienced self-doubt over her acting debut. ”I’ve been in this industry for six or seven years, and you’d think by now I’d feel like I belong, but when you love your craft, you sometimes feel a bit anxious about it,” the artist reveals, opening up about her imposter syndrome. “Even though you pray for more opportunities to come along, when you’re in it, you think, ‘Oh, sh*t, now I’ve got to do it.’”
However, whenever she’s feeling overwhelmed, Ray simply reminds herself of how far she’s come and the opportunities she has earned for herself. “This role started with a couple of songs, and it grew to what it is because the tracks spoke for themselves. So that should be enough to let me know that I’m supposed to be here,” she notes, being her own champion. “It’s about believing in the source that you have within yourself and just knowing that if you do your best, you will be the best.”
Alongside shining a spotlight on the industry, Champion also calls attention to real-life issues that impact the Black British community. In the opening episode, rapper Bosco, who is newly released from prison, can be seen enjoying a laid back birthday celebration in the garden with his family and friends. As his daughter sings “Happy Birthday” to him, the police kick down the gate and disrupt the party. Citing a “noise complaint,” they say Bosco is in breach of the terms of release and, during a scuffle, he’s brought away from the celebrations in handcuffs. For Ray, the entire scene holds a mirror up to the harsh realities devastating the community. “When we see a lot of negative media around ‘young, Black men’ and whatnot, we forget they are someone’s brother, partner, son. They’re having to experience that injustice as a family,” she reflects. “In the real world, we wouldn’t see that Bosco did absolutely nothing and was celebrating his birthday with his family. What we would see is ‘Black rapper in cuffs.’ It’s important to tell the other side.”
At the heart of Champion’s storylines lies the music. The opening scenes of the show feature So Solid Crew’s 21 Seconds and later on we hear a cover of Sugababes’ Overload. These nostalgic hits anchor the series and set the tone. We are also introduced to new, original music, courtesy of Ray. The singer’s personal highlight comes in the form of her self-penned song “Shades of Blue,” which is performed on the show by a vulnerable Vita. “One of the lines in the song is, ‘Like the moon in the afternoon, can you even see me?’ and another is ‘I know I’m a star, I’m just lost in the galaxy,’” Ray shares. “We’ve all experienced moments of feeling like we’re in the shadows, so I ended up getting really emotionally attached to that song while writing it.”
As our conversation nears its end, Ray fills me in on what lies ahead for her. “Last year, everything was about Champion. It was great to step away from the world of Ray BLK and just be in this. Now, I’ll be stepping back into my own music,” she explains. When it comes to officially closing her Champion chapter, Ray’s one wish is that the series will make an impact with its audience. Signing off, she tells me: “I hope the show will create change and that some learning can come from it.”
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