Career
Born in Basildon, Essex, she currently resides in Berlin. Ray fuses many disparate genres, and has been given diverse tags such as “popular-noir”, “sideways blues”, and “gothic folk”. She has collaborated with, amongst others, Sparks, Filmorchester Babelsberg, Michael J Sheehy, Matt Verta-Ray, Alan Vega, Thomas Wydler and Howe Gelb.
She has released several albums on the Bronzerat label.
The first The Leader in 2008, and co-produced with Michael J Sheehy. Whilst struck down with illness, she wrote and recorded the album Lights Out Zoltar! (released 2009) which earned her an Independent Music Award.
After seeing her live supporting Mott the Hoople, Jimmy Page was roused to announce that Gemma was “not to be missed!”. In 2009 she recorded an album entitled lieutenant’s A Shame About Gemma Ray (released 2010) with Matt Verta-Ray of Heavy Trash, at his New York Hed studios.
lieutenant featured 18 cover versions including a merging of Sonic Youth"s “Drunken Butterfly” lyrics, set to the music of Kryzstof Komeda’s “Rosemary’s Baby” theme.
In 2010, she was stranded in Australia for a few weeks after the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupted. Whilst grounded there she unwittingly began recording a new album returning in 2011 to complete what become Island Fire. The album was a 6Music Album of the Day, peaked at number 19 on the CMJ chart and the video for album track "Rescue Maine" appeared on the revamped Top of the Pops.
Also in 2012 she released the single “Gemma Ray Sings Sparks" (with Sparks).
In 2013 she released the vinyl-only “fantasy soundtracks” album Down Baby Down, which heavily featured the stylings of Thomas Wydler of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and was Gemma"s most free sounding record to date (“Ray is one inspired music machine”****MOJO). She has shared the stage with the Filmorchester Babelsberg, Marianne Faithfull, Grinderman, Kris Kristofferson, Ane Brun, Kitty Daisy & Lewis, CW Stoneking and others, and has appeared previously with Seasick Steve, Mott the Hoople, Mick Harvey, Amy Winehouse, The Low Anthem, Lambchop, Gallon Drunk and Joel Plaskett.
