Brit-school graduate turned multi-award-winning powerhouse Raye is rewriting the pop rulebook but her property roots are grounded in south London.
The Prada singer, who dreamed big in Croydon, now divides her time between the capital and Los Angeles.
Currently in the midst of a 40-date headline tour, which includes several nights at The 02, she is getting used to life on the road again.
However, there is no place like home and her London and Los Angeles residences are cosy sanctuaries for life off the tour bus.
A south London girl at heart
Raye has spoken about hanging out on Croydon High Street as a teen
Daniel Lynch
Raye, aka Rachel Keen, lived on a council estate in Pollards Hill, south London until she was around seven when her parents moved from Croydon to Purley.
In an interview with Time Out, she said: “There’s an unspoken thing about the energy in south [London]…I would spend a lot of time up and down Croydon High Street: Primark at one end, McDonald’s in the middle.
“I’d sneak out at like three in the morning to meet my friends and smoke a cigarette, for no reason at all. I was dreaming while walking on those grey pavements, you know what I mean?”
Hence why, when it came to buying her own place, she did not stray too far. The Where is my Husband? singer invested in a period home in Streatham Hill with two of her three sisters.
Houses in Streatham
Daniel Lynch
The occasional glimpse of the space shows plenty of vintage posters, including Fellini’s film classic La Dolce Vita and a Louis Armstrong show advert.
The centre-piece of her living room is unsurprisingly a piano, and the book shelves are lined with records.
The home also features Herringbone floors, a beautiful original fireplace and rather fabulous pink walls in the dining room.
Snapping up a home stateside
As much as she is loyal to her London roots, Raye spends a significant amount of time in Los Angeles.
Her global breakthrough has been matched by a decisive move on the property front, with the Grammy-winning singer reportedly investing in a vast LA mansion in 2024.
The contemporary home, which is thought to have cost in the region of £2 million, is in one of the city’s most exclusive celebrity enclaves.
As well as six bedrooms, it has panoramic views, expansive open-plan living spaces and resort-style outdoor areas designed for entertaining, including a huge pool.
When Raye viewed the property, the interiors were quirky to say the least. Murals of Frankenstein and Gandalf and the wizard from Lord of the Rings lined the walls.
However, apparently, that was part of the charm and sealed the deal for her.
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