The British music world is mourning one of its most quietly prolific talents. Talay Riley, the London singer-songwriter best known for the hit “Make You Mine” and for penning songs across a remarkable swath of modern pop and R&B, has died at the age of 35. Born Mark Olabanji A. Olayinka A. Orabiyi on July 10, 1990, he was stabbed to death in Silvertown, London on June 5, 2026. Tributes have poured in from across the industry, including from Stormzy and Oritsé Williams.
Riley’s own performing career began early and fast. He signed his first major publishing deal at 18 with Global Publishing, and made his first big appearance in 2009 on Chipmunk’s single “Look for Me,” which reached number 7 on the UK Singles Chart. He went on to sign with Jive/Sony and toured with a host of UK and US artists, including Skepta, Trey Songz, and Usher’s arena run. As a solo artist he released the 2011 mixtape ‘Going to California’ and singles like “Make You Mine,” which cracked the UK R&B chart, while also lending vocals to dance hits like Wilkinson’s “Dirty Love” and LuvBug’s “Resonance.”
But it’s his songwriting where Riley’s fingerprints spread widest, and the breadth is genuinely staggering. He helped write across pop, R&B, grime, and dance, often without the spotlight that his collaborators enjoyed. His credits stretch from Khalid’s generation-defining “Young Dumb & Broke” to Craig David’s comeback singles “Talk To Me” and “Armour,” from Dua Lipa’s “Last Dance” to Britney Spears’ “Clumsy” and Jessie J’s “Who’s Laughing Now.”
The list reads like a tour through a decade and a half of charts. He contributed to records by Ellie Goulding, JLS, Tinie Tempah, Iggy Azalea, Jess Glynne, Chris Brown, Usher, Nick Jonas, Pentatonix, and Calum Scott, whose “Only Human” he co-wrote. He worked repeatedly with Ella Mai, Kelela, Nathan Sykes, and Wilkinson, and turned up on tracks for David Guetta, Martin Garrix, and H.E.R. Few writers of his era left their mark on so many different corners of the pop landscape.
That versatility was the through-line of his career. Whether crafting a tender ballad, a club anthem, or a hook built for radio, Riley had a knack for melody that traveled across genres and borders. His work lives on in countless songs that millions know by heart, even if they never knew his name.
Talay Riley was 35.