Raye Zaragoza
Raye Zaragoza | |
|---|---|
| Born | New York City |
| Genres | Folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Website | www.rayezaragoza.com |
Raye Zaragoza is an American singer-songwriter from New York, NY based in Los Angeles, CA.
Biography
Raye Zaragoza was born and raised in Manhattan and moved to Los Angeles at the age of fourteen.[1] Her mother is an immigrant from Japan and her father is of Mexican and Native American heritage.[2] At age 6, Raye sang "You Can't Get A Man with a Gun" from Annie Get Your Gun on national television when her father was playing Chief Sitting Bull on Broadway.[3] She became involved in school musicals, started playing guitar at age 12, and started writing songs in her late teens.[4]
Zaragoza released her debut EP Heroine in 2015. She started to gain national attention in 2016 with the song "In The River," protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline.[5] Raye and her brother made a video for "In The River" that included facts about Standing Rock and it received 100,000 views overnight.[2] The song was awarded the Global Music Awards' 2017 Heretic Award for Protest/Activist Music[1] and the Honesty Oscars' award for Best Song.[6]
In 2017, she independently released her debut album Fight For You. Her music covers topics related to social justice and her experience as a woman of color.[2] Multiple songs on Fight For You address the Dakota Access Pipeline.[5] "Driving to Standing Rock" portrays the power of protest, specifically of the NoDAPL movement.[7] The song "American Dream" was written in reaction to Donald Trump's election.[8] The album also includes love songs[2] and songs about New York City.[3]
In 2019, she released live recordings of four songs — new song "Warrior" and three songs from Fight For You — on an EP entitled Live at Rockwood Music Hall which premiered first on Popmatters.[9]
She cites Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Joan Baez, and Buffy St. Marie as influences.[3]
In 2018, Zaragoza toured with Dispatch and Nahko and Medicine for the People raising funds for Generation Indigenous.[2]
Discography
- Heroine EP (2015)
- Fight For You (2017)
- Live at Rockwood Music Hall EP (2019)
References
- ^ a b "Global Music Awards Heretic Award for Protest/Activist Music".
- ^ a b c d e Heussner, Taylor (June 15, 2018). "Raye Zaragoza Didn't Choose to Be a Political Songwriter".
- ^ a b c "An Interview with the Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter, RAYE ZARAGOZA! | All Access Music". Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- ^ Staff, G. G. M. (March 28, 2018). "Raye Zaragoza: "It's time to rise up, turn off the television, and take a stand."". Guitar Girl Magazine. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- ^ a b Baker, C. J. (April 1, 2018). "The Future Is Female: 10 Women Artists Who Are Transforming Protest Music". The Ongoing History of Protest Music. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- ^ "Honesty Oscars".
- ^ "Raye Zaragoza Stokes the Spirit of Protest With 'Driving to Standing Rock' Video: Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- ^ Robinson, Chloe (September 18, 2018). "Raye Zaragoza's "American Dream" inspires change". EARMILK. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- ^ "Raye Zaragoza Inspires in Her "Live at Rockwood Music Hall" EP (album stream) (premiere)". PopMatters. January 23, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.