FIRST UP WITH RBCXMUSIC FEATURES BLACK CANADIAN TALENT
Ray Reaves is a hip-hop and R&B artist based in Halifax, NS. With roots in Atlanta and a heavy influence from Toronto, his sound has a northern chill with southern sauce in the mix. From soft love ballads to energetic summer bangers, Ray is a mood setter with a vibe for any occasion.
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hey y’all! I’m Ray Reaves and I’m a Hip Hop/ R&B Artist based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I was raised in Atlanta but I’ve been strongly influenced by the Canadian music scene so my stuff’s got a southern sauce with a northern chill to it.
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
My most recent release is a single called “I Hope You Know.” It’s the lead single for my upcoming EP “Late To The Party” and it’s a song about seeking forgiveness after being unfaithful. It’s somewhat of a promise to do better.
Where do you tend to pull inspiration from when writing?
Living life is the best way to gain inspiration for me. I think what makes the best artists great is their ability to view their own lives and the situations around them and hear a song. I’ve quite literally gone through a breakup and had a song idea in my head seconds later. It’s about capturing experiences in the form of music.
Do you have any upcoming shows you’d like to tell us about?
I’ll be headlining a showcase at Nova Scotia Music Week on November 2nd in Yarmouth, NS and I’m pretty excited for it. I’ve gone to Music Week a couple of times as a spectator but capping off the first night of the festival is a whole other experience.
Congratulations on being a Featured Artist in the First Up with RBCxMusic program! Can you tell us a little bit about the program?
Thank you so much! First Up with RBCxMusic is a program where top emerging talent from all over Canada is selected to receive funding, resources, and marketing assistance from RBC to serve as somewhat of a launch pad for these artists. It’s a real honour to be of the selected few in this program.
What are some benefits you’ve taken advantage of through the program?
Earlier this summer there was an artist summit in Toronto where most of the artists got together and we went to workshops and networking events. Through the networking opportunities, I’ve made some industry relationships that are going to stick for the rest of my career and my life. People are the greatest resource in the world and they put me in front of some of the best people to help my career succeed.
What’s your goal for 2023?
I want to put out my EP and have all the tools in my arsenal by December 31st to completely take over in 2024. This year has been a great year for learning about myself as an artist and figuring out my strengths and I just know that thanks to RBCxMusic and a lot of my supporters, I’m on the cusp of something phenomenal.