Introduction to Elliot James Ray
Elliot James Ray, a 23-year-old singer-songwriter from Bury, Greater Manchester, has become a social media sensation with his music inspired by the Elvis Presley era. He has gained millions of supporters and recently released his Northern Soul song, "Who Knew Dancing Was a Sin."
Rising to Fame
Ray’s music career has taken off, with gigs "all over the world – just my face in front of everyone, that was fun," he said in an interview with BBC Radio Manchester. He has toured Southeast Asia, performed at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Manchester, and even visited Elvis Presley’s house in Graceland after receiving an award in Memphis, USA. The visit to Graceland was a "really eye-opening thing" for Ray, who had never seen Memphis before and had a preconceived vision of it. However, he found it to be "better than I imagined."
Touring and Performing
After a busy period of touring in Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, and Indonesia, Ray is now focusing on his next moves. He has developed a fan base that is attracted to his retro-inspired music and says, "I enjoy this sound and the era, but I feel like this, especially in Southeast Asia, they do a lot of karaoke and the karaoke there, since all 1960s are up to the 90s." Ray’s "number one" goal for 2025 is to tour all over England in July before other shows abroad. He wants to "meet every single person who supported me and just thank them and show them some respect because they have brought me to where I am."
Upcoming Music and Album
Ray is currently working with his team to bring out an album after releasing his latest single, "Who Knew Dancing Was a Sin," in May. The song was inspired by his partner’s parents, who are Northern soul fans, and features a story about his partner thinking he would cheat on her, but instead, he goes dancing and listens to music by Jackie Wilson, one of the greats of the Northern soul scene. Ray tried to give the dance moves "a good crack" for the video but found it "a discouraging thing because the dance was difficult."
Hobbies and Interests
When he’s not making music, Ray enjoys playing snooker, which he finds to be a "pretty relaxing game." He says, "I think I always liked it before I made a career like this music. I only get into a zone while I play." Ray is excited to share his new music with his fans and is grateful for their support, which has brought him to where he is today.
