Talay Riley, the acclaimed British singer-songwriter who worked with artists including Britney Spears, Dua Lipa, Iggy Azalea, Jason Derulo and Tinie Tempah, has died after a fatal stabbing in east London. He was 35.
Grammy-winning songwriter Talay Riley stabbed to death
The musician, whose real name was Mark Orabiyi, was found with stab wounds in the Silvertown area of east London on 5 June after police responded to reports of an incident. Despite the efforts of emergency responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene. A second man in his 20s was also found with multiple stab wounds and was taken to hospital, where his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
The Metropolitan Police have launched a murder investigation. Authorities said three people were arrested on suspicion of murder following the incident. A 27-year-old man was later released on bail pending further enquiries, while a 24-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were released with no further action. Detectives have appealed for witnesses and anyone with relevant footage to come forward as enquiries continue.
Riley was widely respected within the music industry for his songwriting work across pop, R&B and hip-hop. Over the course of his career, he collaborated with a range of internationally recognised performers, including Britney Spears, Dua Lipa, Usher, Ellie Goulding, Chris Brown, Khalid and Zendaya. His songwriting credits included Dua Lipa’s ‘Last Dance’, Britney Spears’ ‘Clumsy’ and Khalid’s breakthrough hit ‘Young Dumb & Broke’.
His work also earned industry recognition at the highest level. Riley received a Grammy Award through his contribution to H.E.R.’s acclaimed self-titled project, which won Best R&B Album. Alongside his behind-the-scenes success, he maintained a solo recording career and continued releasing music in recent years.
