Alicia Raye, a singer-songwriter and rapper, has devised the Roots & Visions Exhibition in the hope it will become a permanent feature of the Sound of Belfast festival. This unprecedented occasion seeks to pay tribute to Belfast’s BIPOC (biracial, indigenous, people of colour) community by showcasing a varied selection of art, live music, and cuisine during the upcoming week.

Alicia Raye aims to raise awareness among the general public and policymakers about the abundant creative abilities that Northern Ireland possesses. With optimism, this occasion can serve as a catalyst to navigate a path towards fostering and celebrating our diverse cultural heritage.

Alicia Raye at the age of 23 has established herself as an influential figure in the music industry. Renowned for her ability to shatter boundaries, Alicia’s first mixtape, Alphabet, made a remarkable impact by securing the top spot on the iTunes Hip Hop charts and reaching the second position on the Album charts. This exceptional mixtape garnered significant attention and backing from Digital Service Providers, amassing an impressive 700K streams on Spotify alone.

On Raye’s social media platform she said, “I’ve officially started my career as a recording artist in 2016, however I started writing music at the age of 11. I grew up in a musical household and my dad being a musician and pastor, loud Christian music of all sorts was a given. My mom was a hardcore Afrobeats and R&B lover so there was always a good mix in the sound of music played. As a kid I developed my own passion for poetry and that passion led me to rap which after years of practice, it transformed into singing. At 15 I had my very first studio session which boosted my confidence to the point that I’ve been recording ever since.”

Having relocated to the city two years ago, the talented artist, originally from Drogheda, acknowledges a significant shift in attitudes compared to her initial encounter with the border region a decade ago.

Raye said “I’ve been coming here the past 10 years, only living here since Covid, and I’ve seen a huge growth in diversity in Belfast. Ten years ago, when I was in Victoria Square, people were still asking me could they touch my hair when I had my Afro. This was only 10 years ago — it wasn’t donkeys of years ago. I’ve gone from that being my first encounter of standing out in Belfast to moving on to 2023 where I’m putting on an event and I have more than 30 creatives in Belfast who have been working their socks off.”

The Oh Yeah Music Centre in Cathedral Quarter will be hosting this year’s Sound of Belfast celebration, a festival that aims to highlight the musical talents of Belfast. Taking place from November 9 to 19, the event will showcase a diverse range of genres including jazz, rock, electronic, and folk music from various artists across Northern Ireland.

Charlotte Dryden, chief executive of the Oh Yeah group, had this to say, “Sound of Belfast is about showcasing the best and the most exciting music that we have right here on our own doorstep. From world-class musicians and inspiring celebrated names to an emerging exciting scene full of diversity. This year’s programme is the greatest example of this to date with 62 events in 25 venues. Thanks to the artists, venues, partners, funders, sponsors and everyone that is on board with our vision in promoting Belfast as a thriving place for music. Together we make a great music city.”

Alicia Raye is set to perform alongside a talented lineup of artists on November 13th for Roots & Visions. Other performers include Rwanda Shaw, Don Chi, and Belfast’s very own Daniel August. In addition to her live performance, Alicia Raye will also be showcasing her DJ skills alongside DJ Eulogy and DJ Mstobii.

Tickets for this event are free and can be reserved here.