Raye Zaragoza

Raye Zaragoza is an American singer-songwriter from New York, NY based in Los Angeles, CA.

Raye Zaragoza
BornNew York City
GenresFolk
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
Websitewww.rayezaragoza.com

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 indigenous heritage.[2] Raye became involved in school musicals, started playing guitar at age 12, and started writing songs in her late teens.[3]

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.[4] 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.[5]

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.[4] "Driving to Standing Rock" portrays the power of protest, specifically of the NoDAPL movement.[6] The song "American Dream" was written in reaction to Donald Trump's election.[7] The album also includes love songs[2] and songs about New York City.[8]

In 2019, she released live recordings of four songs — new song "Warrior," two songs from Fight For You, and one song from the Heroine EP — 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.[8]

In 2018, Zaragoza toured with Dispatch and Nahko and Medicine for the People raising funds for Generation Indigenous.[2]

Her sophomore album Woman In Color produced by Tucker Martine was released October 23, 2020 on her own label Rebel River Records[10] and made year-end lists from NPR Music[11] and PopMatters.[12]

Discography
  • Heroine EP (2015)
  • Fight For You (2017)
  • Live at Rockwood Music Hall EP (2019)
  • Woman in Color (2020)

References
  1. "Global Music Awards Heretic Award for Protest/Activist Music".
  2. Heussner, Taylor (June 15, 2018). "Raye Zaragoza Didn't Choose to Be a Political Songwriter".
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. "Honesty Oscars".
  6. "Raye Zaragoza Stokes the Spirit of Protest With 'Driving to Standing Rock' Video: Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  7. Robinson, Chloe (September 18, 2018). "Raye Zaragoza's "American Dream" inspires change". EARMILK. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  8. "An Interview with the Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter, RAYE ZARAGOZA! | All Access Music". Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  9. "Raye Zaragoza Inspires in Her "Live at Rockwood Music Hall" EP (album stream) (premiere)". PopMatters. January 23, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  10. Hart, Ron (September 2, 2020). "Raye Zaragoza Premieres "They Say," Announces New Album 'Woman in Color'". American Songwriter. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  11. "2020 Was The Year Of Protest Music". NPR.org. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  12. "6. Raye Zaragoza – Woman in Color (Rebel River/RAYEMUSIC)". PopMatters. December 4, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
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