by Maja Bebber
Photography: Nathan Singh // Lighting: Kim Byungs // Art Direction: Wale Adeyem // Styling: Anastasia Busch // Hair & Makeup: Amie Harfield // Fashion Assistants: Olivia Schofield and Agostinho de Sousa Junior
Your latest dreamy obsession has arrived and is ready to sweep you off your feet. Recently signed by Decca Records, Victor Ray is a force to be reckoned with.
Victor equally inhabits a delicate voice and impresses with sounds that resonate emotionally and lyrically. And with a charme-esque personality that strikes like lightning, the 24-year-old proves he has what it takes to make it to the top. Born in Uganda and hailing from Newcastle, he's gone from busking on the streets and going viral on Instagram and TikTok to sold-out venues. Last year, he performed at The Great Escape Festival and headlined a show at Camden Assembly.
And he won’t stop now. He’s getting pretty comfortable – no pun intended. His hit “Comfortable” has racked up over 15 Million streams since its release in January all around the world – especially in the US, Germany, France, Brazil, Mexico, Holland and South Korea. His previously released EPs i felt. and i was. have received critical acclaim.
Full look by Kenzo // Rings by Vitaly
“'Comfortable' is an important song for me," Victor says. "It's the kind of song where I get self-aware and start thinking about the bad habits I have; how I keep ending up in toxic situations; and how comfortable I was. It was a lot of blaming others. It’s one of those songs where it's a bit of personal growth, talking about how we just have tendencies as people to be drawn to difficult situations.“
Victor is highly influenced by leading industry musicians and icons. “I'm a big Sam Cooke fan as well as Michael Jackson. And in the 2000s, I was obsessed with Usher and 2000s R&B. That was my thing. I loved Ed Sheeran a lot in my teenage years,” he reminisces. "I'm drawn to artists that just keep evolving their sound and everything, and just keep pushing further. It’s easy to get comfortable and just stay in the same sound that you're in.“
The multi-faceted artist currently resides in the bustling city of London where creativity is everywhere. One can’t help but be infused with it. He recently teamed up with Teddy Swims to busk at Piccadilly Circus. Victor is immensely inspired by the crowds and the number of talented artists there. That atmosphere wasn't a thing when he was still in Newcastle.
"London is just chaotic," Victor says. "So there's a lot to be inspired by, and there's a lot to be distracted by. It's great. Newcastle was just a bit of a small city. I felt like there was not much I could get out of it in terms of music."
"When I moved here, I was doing everything I could. I was busking on the street, I was playing at bars and pubs and everything and going out, trying to find life and things to write about."
Full look by Kenzo // Rings by Vitaly
He tells me a perfect day for him would be hanging out with his friends at Alexandra Palace. “The other day, I just went to Alexandra Palace with some friends and had a picnic and had some drinks and that was great. When the sun's out, everyone’s happy. So we just take in those moments.”
He hit the road last November and played venues in London, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Cologne. His previous shows in London were incredibly memorable. He thinks back on them fondly and with a sparkle in his eyes: “My most memorable performance, to be honest, was probably the last show I did in London a few weeks ago. We sold out, and it was just amazing because I was on tour with Teddy Swims at the time. So it was a lot of shows going on. But that was my show. When you have a show, you see how much you've grown and how much your fanbase has grown. So the amount of people that showed up and just had a good time and sang back to me was just amazing. And I got to perform in my band for the first time in ages. So it was just a great night.”
Going on tour is a special experience for Victor and he simply loves being with his band. “To be honest, I just love playing with my band. My band was so incredible. And we've only just started playing together. I've only just really filled out the band. We have so much fun on stage."
Victor is about to hit the road again as part of his I AM. TOUR. He'll kick off the tour on March 11 in Newcastle. A full list of dates is available here.
"I just can't wait to get back on the road and play the show over and over again. I love those moments.”
Make sure to follow Victor Ray on Instagram and check out his latest release, "Hearts Break and People Change," below.
