In 2023, RAYE walked into NPR headquarters for her Tiny Desk debut with something to prove, and she left no doubt. Fresh off the independent release of ‘My 21st Century Blues’, the South London singer-songwriter delivered a 4-song set moving through jazz scats, gospel, and blues with the confidence of a veteran and the raw emotion of someone who had spent years waiting for exactly this moment, closing on “Buss It Down.” with a call-and-response that turned the room into something far bigger than a desk concert.