Victor Ray's career journey from busking to sold-out UK tour

Victor Ray is a rising singer/songwriter who started out busking on the streets of Newcastle, where he grew up. After moving to London to study music, the singer continued to busk on busy London roads such as Oxford Street, before building a loyal fanbase on social media.

As the singer has just completed his UK tour, performing to sold-out venues, and released his fourth EP, we take a look at who Victor Ray is and what his musical influences are.

Who is Victor Ray?

Victor Ray is a Ugandan born singer, who was raised in Newcastle. After busking in the North East, the 24-year-old moved to London to study at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM).

What is Victor Ray's real name?

Victor Ray is a stage name, however his real name is not known at the moment. On his website he cites Usher as a musical inspiration, and Usher's last name is Raymond, which 'partly inspired Victor’s stage name'.

When is he next on tour?

Victor is currently on tour, but not in the UK. He finished his sold-out UK tour in March 2025. He has not yet announced any other UK tour dates.

How did he become famous?

According to the British and Irish Modern Music Institute, Victor missed out on a place studying at Newcastle University and decided to take a gap year. After busking professionally and performing at weddings, he was encouraged to follow his passion for music by his family.

He then moved to London where he studied at BIMM and continued to busk on the streets of London. His break came after Teddy Swims appeared in one of his busking videos, attracting millions of views on his social channels.

The pair performed Teddy's song 'Lose Control', you can watch the video below.

Following the success of the video, Victor went on to perform on stage with Teddy at some of his gigs, including a stunning performance of John Legend's 'Ordinary'.

WARNING THIS VIDEO CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE

Victor was later announced as a support act for Teddy on his UK tour, which took place in 2024. He told his fans in March 2024: 'You can’t make this stuff up!! I’m really going on tour with @teddyswims 😮‍💨🤩🚀

'I’ll be joining him for the UK leg of the tour. Life is mad.'

Speaking about the tour, he told his former college BIMM: "I’m so excited to be joining Teddy Swims on tour, honestly. The way we connected was amazing too, considering how I’ve been street performing my songs for years now – even throughout my time at BIMM – so to be able to have so much to show for it is a blessing.

"My time at BIMM London was crucial for me. Just to be surrounded by music and creatives was so important. Moving from Newcastle to London was difficult and isolating, so having a community to support me, like the one I found at BIMM, was so helpful."

In May 2025, Victor re-shared a video of him and Teddy performing on stage...

What music has Victor released?

Victor has released four EPs called 'i was' (2023), 'i felt' (2023), 'I TRIED' (2024) and 'I WILL' (2025). According to his website: 'Across Victor’s music, there’s one undeniable through line: storytelling. From first loves, to heartbreak and deeply personal family history, he is unapologetically honest in his lyrics.

'His first EP, i was, came from a place of raw emotion, notably his first song “Hollow”, which was written when Victor was feeling low in himself. Ripping from the pages of his life and pouring them into his successive second and third EPs, his fans learn more and more about his story.'

His latest EP 'I WILL' was released in April 2025, following the release, Victor shared a statement with his fans, writing: 'I WILL. My 4th EP is out now and I can’t believe it. Honestly this feels like the last page of my first chapter. Every song I’ve released has come from a real place but this project in particular was where I wanted to tell the world my story.

'Before this next chapter im about to write, I want it to be clear; who I am and where I’ve come from. From a kid in Newcastle singing on the street for change, to a real artist touring the world. I hope you can listen to this and feel what it took me years to feel and believe. Thank you for being with me and listening to my music for this long. We’ve come a long way man 🥺

'Big love to everyone who was involved in this project. It takes a village 🙏🏾'. (sic)

Does he write his own songs?

Yes, Victor does write his own songs. On his website it describes what you can expect from his music, saying: 'Across Victor’s music, there’s one undeniable through line: storytelling. From first loves, to heartbreak and deeply personal family history, he is unapologetically honest in his lyrics.'

What is his latest single?

Featured on his fourth EP, Victor's latest single is called 'World At My Feet'. Speaking about his new song, Victor said: "'World At My Feet' is a song that represents everything it took just for me to get a seat at this table. This song is the story of my 10,000 hours and a promise of what comes next."

Who are his musical influences?

Victor's musical influences range from Ed Sheeran to Usher. On his website it says: 'Musically, Victor has absorbed the singer-songwriter tradition that has always been ingrained in Newcastle’s live music scene, not to mention one of his biggest inspirations, Ed Sheeran. He also cites Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson, J. Cole and Usher.'

You can hear songs by Victor Ray on Forth 1.

Take a look through tours taking place in 2025 and beyond:

Now read:

Ed Sheeran: Get to know more about the 'Bad Habits' singer

Teddy Swims: Find out more about the 'Lose Control' singer

Everything you need to know about 'Stargazing' singer Myles Smith

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