How to use rejection to fuel your next big thing

Lessons from the artist that turned a really bad deal into an artistic triumph.

For a few years now, I’ve been psyched about the artist Raye. You might know her from her radio hit Escapism.

My admiration for her started when I saw her perform live at All Points East in London. Her vocal range, conversational stage presence and big-band energy made her stand out. And her first debut album, My 21st Century Blues (2023), was pure lyrical gold with stories ranging from surviving abuse to battling climate anxiety.

Her story of making it is far from an easy one.

For seven years, Raye was held hostage by her record label Polydor who she had signed a four-album deal with but who wouldn’t let her create a single one of those albums. Instead, they kept giving her songs to other artists.

She was made to feel like she wasn’t good enough to become her own artist.

After years of feeling stifled by the record label, Raye went public about her frustration on Twitter. Her tweets prompted support from fellow artists, who sympathised with her experience and shared their own.

The negative publicity eventually ended with Polydor releasing Raye from her contract.

Later, she went on to publish her debut album through an artist distribution and services company. She also won six BRIT Awards and was nominated for three Grammys. This year, she’s performed at the Oscar Gala and Glastonbury’s main stage. And, rumour has it that she’s in the process of working on another album.

One could argue that, artistically speaking, she’s doing pretty well.

Raye’s story is about not giving up on yourself, claiming your worth, pursuing the things that you know in your heart are meant for you, and understanding that no deal is better than a sucky deal.

She’s a prime example of what hopefulness can do.

Hopeful people try.

They accept that there are multiple paths to their goals.

They understand that no path is free of obstacles.

They solve problems as they arise.

They’re committed to their path.

They keep going.

Five lessons from Raye’s story to help deal with your next rejection

Lesson #1: No deal is better than a sucky deal.

There’s power in saying no to something that just feels off even if on paper it looked like the perfect opportunity. Self-worth is something you can’t put a price on.

Lesson #2: If you find yourself in a sh*t decision, it doesn’t mean you’re sh*t.

You might have made the wrong choice or signed the wrong deal. Oops. Forgive yourself and move on. And if someone doesn’t see your value, it’s their interpretation of you, not the truth of who you are or what you have to offer. There will be better deals ahead.

Lesson #3: Always seek peer support from others who understand what you’re going through.

Instead of hiding our pain and frustration, we can make it seen and get support. Our next opportunity might be waiting for us if we just let people know we’re looking for one.

Lesson #4: What’s meant for you will happen.

Your big break might not happen now or next week but it will happen in one way or another, and it will likely look different from what you think. Trusting the timing of our lives helps deal with the disappointment of not getting what we wanted when we wanted it.

Lesson #5: Ask the universe for more than what seems realistic.

When your dreams are shattered, it’s not time to make them smaller. Instead, make them even bigger. Let life show you what’s possible and what isn’t. You might get rejected again at some point, but so what? At least you weren’t the one to shoot down your dreams. And once you’ve learnt to deal with one rejection, the next one will be easier.

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I’ll finish with a quote from the artist herself from when she was interviewed by The Guardian soon after resigning from her record label.

“My time is coming.”