Today we’d like to introduce you to Grant Ray.
Hi Grant, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a biracial half black, half white independent pop/r&b singer/songwriter from Miami, Florida. Born in 1989, I endured a dark childhood and started singing and writing music at age nine as a means of survival. I was severely overweight and in my early teens hit a max weight of over 300 pounds. I decided to change the trajectory of my future and through sheer determination, I lost over 100 pounds and became a new person. I recorded my first demo in the studio at age 12 then began my independent solo career at age 20, recording my first single “JUST WITH THE RIDE”. I began performing at live venues and won many local singing competitions over the course of the next few years. I was also a finalist on tv competition SANTO STARS as well as a contestant on AMERICAN IDOL.
I released my debut Ep GRANT RAY in 2015 and was a finalist in another tv competition ULTIMATE MIAMI VOICE. I began gigging locally and performed both solo and with countless different bands all across Florida and New York. I released my second studio album THE LION’S DEN in 2018 and released my first book, my autobiography A CONSTRUCTION OF HOPE the same year. A very successful year, I was doing shows on a weekly basis and garnered a new following. I released my 3rd studio album 2.0 in 2019 and launched my own headwear line THE LEON COLLECTION as well. One of my most personal projects, the album was an r&b, hip hop collection of songs written about my life. My biggest achievement to date is my new album GTRUE, which I released in October of this year. This album was a huge financial investment and is my best work to date. A pop/rock album, I really revisited my past and wrote all about what I’ve been through and the dark times I survived and grew from. I explored many different looks and sounds on the album and music videos and put my all into the project. I also became a Youtuber, now with almost 2,000 subscribers. I am currently in negotiation with an independent record label in Atlanta and have two holiday singles out “THIS CHRISTMAS” and “OH HOLY NIGHT”. I have much more in the works and am a man on a mission.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life has been anything but easy for me. I grew up dirt poor in a trailer with a single mother who was white and my father who was black was shot and killed when I was a baby. I was abused by my stepfather at the time and was almost killed as a child on multiple occasions. My mother was shot, raped and abused throughout my childhood but fought to keep some sort of shelter over our heads. I endured racism, poverty, neglect and obesity but singing and music kept me alive. Also a trained visual artist, I was a multi-talented child with a vision to overcome a broken past. And I did. Being an independent artist has been a tough road both financially and emotionally as I am my own record label- I fund my productions, photoshoots, videographers, distribution, promotion, travel, etc. I’ve had to weed through a tough industry full of snakes and have had to fight to get my name out there but it is all worth it. I am doing what I love and have found my own way and my own path.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an independent singer/songwriter from Miami, Florida. I began my solo career at age 20 and have never looked back since. I am known for my soulful sound and multi-octave vocal range as well as my songwriting abilities. What sets me apart is the flexibility of my voice and my vocal range. I have sung music from almost every genre from pop to soul to gospel to country to rock and have recorded music from all these genres. I have released four studio albums, a book, my own headwear line and multiple online stores at only 32 years of age. Without a record label or any investors.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Most people don’t know I was over 300 pounds as a young teen and lost over 100 pounds in order to become who I am today.
Contact Info:
- Email: Grantr52@gmail.com
- Website: https://grantray.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/grantray100
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/THEREALONE52
