{"title":"Lady Wray","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLady Wray is a talented R\u0026amp;B, Neo Soul, Soul and Hip-Hop singer, songwriter and musician. Born in 1979 in Salinas, California, USA, she has captivated audiences with her soulful voice and captivating performances.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith influences ranging from Saun \u0026amp; Starr to Sharon Jones \u0026amp; The Dap-Kings, Lady Wray's music combines elements of classic soul with modern R\u0026amp;B. Her powerful vocals and heartfelt lyrics have earned her a dedicated fan base.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnown for her dynamic stage presence and ability to connect with audiences on a deep level, Lady Wray continues to push the boundaries of contemporary soul music. With each release, she showcases her versatility as an artist while staying true to her roots.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"piece-of-me-come-on-in","title":"Piece Of Me \/ Joy \u0026 Pain","description":"\u003cp\u003eOn January 28, 2022, Lady Wray released her Piece Of Me album. A deeply personal record that takes on the good and the bad in life from deception and abuse to the joys of motherhood and triumph. The accolades the album has received in the year it has been out speak volumes. Performing on The Stephen Colbert Show, selling out multiple US tours, cleaning up in the best of 2022 lists, and then crushing an NPR Tiny Desk on the 1 year anniversary of the album. Piece Of Me continues to find its way to new ears and has already proved itself a timeless classic. So where do you go from here? When Ghostface Killah reaches out and says he wants to do a remix of the title track you do that. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe A side, \"Piece Of Me\" (Remix) features Ironman himself who puts down a verse about a relationship that ran its course but no one is sure they did the right thing in. Ghostface sounds right at home over the gully Leon Michels produced track and takes the already rock solid tune to another level. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThen what do you do for a B side.... You call The Chocolate Boy Wonder, Pete Rock and get him to remix \"Joy \u0026amp; Pain\". Pete takes one of the stand out tunes on the album and gives it an entirely different energy with thundering drums and a bassline that shake the windows in the car. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA Side: Piece Of Me (feat. Ghostface Killah)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eB Side: Joy \u0026amp; Pain (Pete Rock Remix)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Crown","offers":[{"title":"Black 7\"","offer_id":50389225374027,"sku":"1059730","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Lady_Wray__Pete_Rock_-_Piece_Of_Me_feat._Ghostface_Killah_7_ee41bf56_thumbna.jpg?v=1726355833"},{"product_id":"queen-alone","title":"Queen Alone","description":"\u003cp\u003eVirginia-born singer\/songwriter Nicole Wray has everything you'd want in a singer: an infectious Jackson-5-family-member flare, a range like Aretha's, and a church upbringing that's brought a pure, healing texture to her voice. But the struggle she's been through has made her more than a singer. Nicole Wray is an artist. When talking about Queen Alone, her first solo album in some time, Nicole explains, \"It's a reflection of my soul. It's who I am today.\" And aptly so. Nicole is writing and singing songs about her life. And yet to even start to know her soul, you have to go back to the beginning. Growing up in Portsmouth was tough at times for Nicole. However, at the age of fifteen, life opened up quickly when Missy Elliot paid a visit to Nicole's family home to audition her on the spot. Missy was there on the rumored strength and quality of her voice. Instantly blowing her away, she signed and left with Missy that night. Two years later, at age 17, she had a hit gold single off a solid debut album (Make It Hot). Suddenly she was part of a team that included late '90s R\u0026amp;B and rap royalty: Missy, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Playa, Timbaland and Magoo. She made it, and fast. However, as rapidly as she achieved success, Nicole then found herself needing to re-make it. By late 2001, her time with Missy and company had run its course. They amicably parted ways and Nicole, once on top of the R\u0026amp;B world, was unsure of what was next. It was a very low, but important, point in her life. While neck-deep in this struggle, Damon Dash and Roc-A-Fella Records called. They signed an album deal and by 2004, in what was starting to be a pattern, just as things were looking up Roc-A-Fella suddenly (famously) split. Nicole found herself in a familiar situation. In 2013, Nicole paired up with London vocalist Terri Walker and released the album Lady. Once again, Nicole was tested. Terri parted ways with the group to pursue her own projects shortly after the album's release. Fast forward to now-the transformation from singer-for-hire to pure artist is evident in this new full-length solo release, Queen Alone. The record was written and recorded in 10 days at the legendary Diamond Mine Studios, in Queens NY with Leon Michels and Tom Brenneck handling production. Nicole says she is \"Singing out loud now-singing from the stomach.\" Back in 1998 she was coached how to sing, and told to stay in a pocket that never let her show her range, power, and passion. Today, after stutter-stepping in and out of the industry, there is a new soul and substance to her songs-all of it from her life. \"They Don't Hang Around\", tells the story of her post Roc-a-Fella days, \"Guilty\", is about her brother's incarceration, \"Make Me Over\" tells the relatable story of being broke with expensive taste, and 'Let It Go\", a perfect way to end the record, is about the simple act of letting go and moving on. Almost echoing her new record, Nicole says, \"You have to go through something for it to be real.\" She has been living with one foot in fame and the other in real life. The result is clear: she's feeling something real in her music again. And it's hard for us as listeners not to follow suit.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLP - with Download.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Crown","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50416872816971,"sku":"405692","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50416873046347,"sku":"405693","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/bb605f8b-910c-410b-9bdf-a2401410fa75_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726711727"},{"product_id":"through-it-all-under-the-sun","title":"Through It All \/ Under The Sun","description":"\u003cp\u003eLady Wray releases an instant classic two-sider with two certified bangers from her forthcoming album \u003ci\u003ePiece Of Me.\u003c\/i\u003e Side A is the in your face, head nodding, Through It All\". A tune that rips out of the speaker from the first snare crack with Nicole's pitched up and infectious chorus. The tried and true chemistry of Lady Wray and producer Leon Michels is on full display here as they push the envelope of current R\u0026amp;B and Soul making a stark declaration of why they are out in front of the pack of any of their peers. Nicole sings a song about dedication through the ups and downs on a track that has so much energy it is sure to move crowds around the globe. Side B, Under The Sun is a feel good homage to the sun and summertime. Lady Wray encapsulates all things good and lovely about warm weather and where it puts our minds. The infectious good vibes of the tune will change your attitude and have you turning the volume knob up while the earworm choruses will stay on the tip of your tongue long after the song ends.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Crown","offers":[{"title":"7\"","offer_id":50453205123403,"sku":"1135259","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/7432fa9c-1651-4e19-943b-c37523dd491e_thumbnail_4096.png?v=1727169558"},{"product_id":"piece-of-me","title":"Piece of Me","description":"\u003cp\u003eBig Crown Records is proud to present \u003ci\u003ePiece of Me\u003c\/i\u003e, the sophomore full length offering from Lady Wray. This is something of a homecoming for Nicole. Where her 2016 solo debut \u003ci\u003eQueen Alone \u003c\/i\u003eleaned more towards soul and R\u0026amp;B with tinges of hip-hop, this record changes the mixture. It's still R\u0026amp;B with the textures of analogue soul, but there is a heavy hip hop influence that brings the sum of Nicole's career together in a new sound that will define her future. Boom-bap drums and chunky bass lines are front-and-center creating a perfect head-nodding backdrop for Lady Wray to take on the good, the bad, the difficult, and the joyful on her most personal collection of songs to date. Long time collaborator and producer Leon Michels keeps the musical backing restrained and expertly executed, setting up Lady Wray for the full spotlight and setting the tone for the rest of the album.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith this in mind, when talking about this record, for Lady Wray, it's about a larger purpose. \"My goal is always to help and to heal people with singing,\" she explains. \"Part of that is to try and bring back real music, real singing, so people can feel something again.\" Now, she's not dissing anyone here, to be clear. It's just that Lady Wray cannot sing without tapping into something deeper, searching for that shared compassion between all of us. Perhaps it comes from her church upbringing, or maybe from her years of trials and tribulations in the music industry. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith past albums like the Lady project and Queen Alone, it's hard to not acknowledge that Lady Wray plus Leon Michels production equals magic. But this magic is also coming from the fact that Lady Wray is now squarely herself, calling her shots, and singing to help heal first—everything else is secondary. \"It's a beautiful thing I've always wanted in my career, and now I have it,\" Lady Wray says. \"They encourage me to be me all day long.\" This is Lady Wray at her finest, and she's giving us all a piece of where she's at these days.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Crown","offers":[{"title":"Purple | LP","offer_id":50479253258571,"sku":"1135197","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Green LP","offer_id":50479254110539,"sku":"1135694","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50479252930891,"sku":"1135693","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50479253520715,"sku":"1135692","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/06a86305-3252-40a2-b528-48475e8e1a21_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727505170"},{"product_id":"come-on-in-les-imprimes-remix","title":"Come On In (Les Imprims Remix)","description":"\u003cp\u003eOn January 28, 2022, Lady Wray released her Piece Of Me album. A deeply personal record that takes on the good and the bad in life from deception and abuse to the joys of motherhood and long awaited professional triumph. The accolades the album has received since its release speak volumes. From performing on The Stephen Colbert Show to selling out multiple US tours to cleaning up in the best of 2022 lists to crushing an NPR Tiny Desk on the 1 year anniversary of the album, Piece Of Me continues to prove itself a timeless classic. In March of 2023, Lady Wray had Ghostface Killah join her on the \"Piece Of Me\" remix and had Pete Rock lend his legendary remixing skills to \"Joy \u0026amp; Pain\". Now it's a Big Crown family affair as Les Imprimés lends his production prowess to a remix for \"Come On In\" and Surprise Chef take the warm weather anthem \"Under The Sun\" and give it their unorthodox Jazz \/ Funk treatment. Both of these remixes put brand new energy on the originals that will hold us over while Lady Wray is finishing her new album with El Michels Affair. Side A Come On In (Les Imprimés Remix) Side B Under The Sun (Surprise Chef Remix)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Crown","offers":[{"title":"7\"","offer_id":50520835195211,"sku":"2056797","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Lady_Wray_Les_Imprimes__Surprise_Chef_-_Come_On_In__01da0a78_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727986701"},{"product_id":"be-a-witness-best-for-us-ay","title":"Be A Witness \/ Best For Us","description":"\u003cp\u003eLady Wray treats us to an unstoppable two-sider while she and Grammy-nominated producer Leon Michels (Clairo \/ El Michels Affair) put the finishing touches on her forthcoming album. The A side “Be A Witness” showcases one of the new directions Lady Wray is taking her sound. Nicole's vocals soar over bottom heavy drum machine and Nick Movshon's funky basslines making this a proper mid- tempo dance floor filler. Lady Wray sings about a love destined to happen, celebrates the joys that come with it, and spreads the good vibes to everyone in earshot. The B side “Best For Us” is a gorgeous tune about love, commitment, intention, and overcoming the tough times. Synths and background vocals float over Homer Steinweiss' signature in-the-pocket drums creating the perfect backdrop for Cole's world-renowned voice. This one will be an instant two-step classic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Crown Records","offers":[{"title":"7\" - Black","offer_id":51419094155595,"sku":"R5009-9799","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/LadyWray-BeAWitnessBCR151.jpg?v=1741625971"},{"product_id":"cover-girl","title":"Cover Girl","description":"\u003cp\u003eLady Wray makes her highly anticipated return with \u003cem\u003eCover Girl,\u003c\/em\u003e her third album on Big Crown Records. The album opener “My Best Step” says it all, “my next step is my best step”, and indeed she is taking her artistry to a new high and making the best music of her life. The celebratory Cover Girl takes listeners on a free-spirited joyride glittered with ‘60s and '70s-inspired soul and disco, ‘90s hip-hop and R\u0026amp;B, and perhaps the most defining element, gospel. Following the healing journey that was 2022’s Piece of Me, Nicole has performed on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, NPR’s Tiny Desk, and toured the world. After this period of growth, Lady Wray is now ready to let her hair down and embrace all of what life has to offer. Reunited with producer Leon Michels (Norah Jones \/ Clairo \/ El Michels Affair) for the record, the outcome is effortless and undeniable, a reflection of their longtime collaboration that extends over a decade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I've gravitated more towards love and self-care with this album. Piece of Me was realizing that I was going to be a mother, and all those feelings were on my heart,” Lady Wray says. “Now I'm able to sit back and be a real boss. I got my career, my motherhood, and my marriage by the horns. I've grown into this more self-aware and beautiful flower for Cover Girl.” With an almighty voice, soul-stirring lyrics, and a magnetic personality, the singer-songwriter reflects her appreciation for her family, her faith, and her renewed love for herself—all of which drive her new record.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLady Wray was born to sing, sharing her soul and her life with us through her music. She has amassed a diehard worldwide fanbase with her relatable messages and incomparable voice. Whether singing of her struggles or strengths, there’s a comfort that comes from the way she makes us know we are not alone in any of it. Nicole Wray is inspiring and uplifting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHaving been through a lot, she’s taken all of it and made herself a better person and a better artist. “You need to rule your own world. Don't let anybody get in your way. You rock with your dreams until the wheels fall off,” Lady Wray says. “That's what I've been doing with my career since 1998. I know who I am and what I bring to the table. It's been a heck of a journey, and I feel so happy to be making the best music of my life.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Crown Records","offers":[{"title":"LP - Clear Pink","offer_id":52481520337227,"sku":"R8643-5781","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":52481520369995,"sku":"R8643-5239","price":23.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52481520402763,"sku":"R8643-1967","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Tape","offer_id":52481520435531,"sku":"R8643-5570","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/LadyWray-CoverGirl.jpg?v=1750670183"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_e1df53dd_thumbnail_4096_c5a1cb45-dbec-42d8-81b0-5bad1fe66978.jpg?v=1726355816","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/collections\/lady-wray.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}