Raye Reveals She Has Given Up Instagram for a Bible App After Faith Helped Her Overcome Addiction
British singer Raye has disclosed that she has abandoned Instagram in favour of a Bible app, attributing her Christian faith for guiding her through the darkest periods of her struggle with drugs and alcohol. The 28-year-old artist, who has previously been open about her substance misuse during her time at Polydor Records, reflected on the profound impact of her spiritual beliefs on her recovery in a recent interview with The Times.
Embracing Offline Life and Spiritual Guidance
Raye explained her decision to step away from social media, stating, 'I’m terrified of people picking me apart and eating me alive. At the end of the day not everyone’s going to love it but I know somebody out there will.' She emphasised the benefits of disconnecting, adding, 'I think since I've come offline, it's been much better, ignorance is bliss. If someone said I look awful in a dress, it'd make me sad, if I don't know someone said I look awful in dress … so I'm really big on being offline.' Instead of scrolling through social media feeds, Raye now turns to a Bible app to seek answers and solace.
Despite her private online presence, Raye noted that in real life, she strives to leave a positive impression and always greets fans. 'It’s taken me so long to get here, I’d be terrified to jeopardise all of that by giving someone a bad impression of me,' she said. 'So I’ll always say hello.'
Overcoming Substance Abuse and Finding Discipline
In a cover story for the February 2026 issue of ELLE, Raye opened up about her journey to overcome substance abuse, expressing pride in the woman she has become after embracing 'discipline and abstinence in my life.' She shared, 'I'm really proud of the growth I've done, because there's a period in my life where I wasn't interested in going on. And I know a lot of people out there go through that. I would never dream of giving up on myself like that today.'
The 'Escapism' star admitted that she became involved with drugs like codeine and MDMA, as well as excessive drinking, early in her career to numb emotional pain. With support from her family, particularly her sister Lauren Keen, Raye managed to navigate through these challenges and is now 'no longer drinking to escape.'
Artistic Evolution and Healing Through Music
Reflecting on the creative process behind her highly anticipated second album compared to her debut, Raye highlighted a significant shift. 'A lot of My 21st Century Blues, I was up in the clouds, rolling a blunt. I like that I've come down to earth to write these lyrics,' she said. 'I prefer myself like this. I've found discipline and abstinence in my life, and it's a beautiful thing. I'll have a nice glass of wine every now and then, but I'm no longer drinking to fix or bury or numb or escape.'
Raye has previously discussed how her music serves as a therapeutic outlet, using lyrics to process trauma from substance abuse and assault. She told Daily Mail that addressing these 'difficult' topics in her songs acts as 'medicine.' 'I just want to be a woman discussing uncomfortable topics that we don't talk about, these are all things I battled with in the darkness and in silence,' she revealed. 'You hope in writing about these songs and putting them out into the world, you just hope that people hear them, and relate to them also. It's very much medicine in a way that you have a different feeling to put quite a painful emotion to it. For me is just very empowering, and I hope it can be medicine for anyone else who who needs it.'
