Singer says gaming helps her cope with hectic schedule

What’s the very first thing you consider while you see Raye’s title?

Reaching the highest of the charts? Her record-breaking haul on the Brit Awards? Or the row with her document label that despatched her profession stratospheric?

But there’s one thing you may not find out about Raye.

She actually, actually loves Mario Kart.

The Escapism singer tells BBC Newsbeat she’s a “huge gamer”, and says it is a ardour she’s had since she was just a little woman taking part in on her Nintendo DS.

“I genuinely need to think about getting a 1-Up mushroom tattooed on my arm,” she says, referring to the well-known Super Mario Bros additional life power-up.

“I’m that hardcore, which I know is really sad, but I actually am obsessed.”

Any gamer will inform you that reaching for a controller or mouse and keyboard can enhance their psychological well being, and Raye says it is no totally different for her.

“I find games to just be like a very beautiful escape from your everyday life,” she says.

“I’m really one of those people who loves to hyper-focus on something, and when I’m playing a game, nothing else matters in that moment.”

She says video games is usually a lifeline for somebody with her hectic schedule of touring and performing.

“Almost every day, when I need to just turn off, I’m just playing a game, finding someone on tour who wants to play games with me.

“We have a console on the bus and we’ll collect round.”

Raye says Overcooked – a madcap cooking simulator – is a current favourite.

“It’s so good. And you are mainly taking part in as a chef within the kitchen and everybody’s like screaming at one another like ‘lower the carrots!’

“I just think games offer a moment of togetherness and pause and joy.”

Being in a position to join with others is among the massive appeals of gaming for Raye.

She tells Newsbeat she invited followers to play Mario Kart with her on TikTok, and now has lots of of buddies who can leap right into a multiplayer race with her.

“It’s actually one of my favourite things to do, especially when I’m feeling a little bit down or lonely, which you can do sometimes, being a musician, I think.

“So it is good to have these moments the place you get to essentially join,” she says.

But Raye warns others not to expect an easy ride if they do find themselves facing off against her.

“I contemplate myself to be such a beautiful individual, besides in the case of video games,” she says.

“The nasty facet actually comes out, you realize, I actually care about successful.”

As an award-winning musician and songwriter, Raye says she recognises the power of music in gaming, adding tension and creating a mood at key points.

And there’s one instantly recognisable track that stands out for her.

“I simply love the Super Mario soundtrack,” she says.

“I simply suppose it is completely genius. And additionally I like that it is simply sort of developed over years and years and years.

“You have the same notes and chord patterns and sounds, but they’ve just kind of been refined.

“So yeah, music pairs actually brilliantly with video games, and I believe Mario for me particularly has that nostalgia,” she says.

Raye appears in a new Nintendo campaign with her sisters, highlighting research commissioned by the company suggesting more women than ever are playing its games.

She insists she’d have done the job for free, and her history with its consoles is what persuaded her to get involved.

And, she says, she genuinely sees the power of gaming to help us escape and press reset.

“You cannot truly work to one of the best of your skill with out taking these moments for your self, to pause, to unwind, no matter that may be for you,” she says.

“And I simply discover for me, and for lots of different folks on the market, it is a second to only be a personality and run round a world of lovely, brilliant colors, gather bins and cash and have a good time.

“And then you come back to reality and you feel a little recharged.”

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