Elliot James Reay (born 2002) is a British singer-songwriter known for his song "I Think They Call This Love" and covers of nostalgic songs, particularly those by Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison.[1][2]
Early life and career
Elliot James Reay was born and raised in Bury, Greater Manchester.[3] Reay released his debut single, "I Think They Call This Love", in July 2024, which garnered over 30 million streams.[4] The song features a nostalgic style reminiscent of classic malt shop music, beginning with the lines, "They say you know when you know / So let's face it, you had me at 'Hello.'" The single "I Think They Call This Love" received over 10 million views prior to its full release in July.[5][6] In its first month on streaming services, the song got more than 10 million plays and appeared on Spotify's Viral charts in over 27 countries, reaching #14 on the Global Viral 50.[7][8]
Following this success, he signed with Interscope Records and EMI, and released his second single, "Boy In Love", in November 2024.[9]
Reay has cited several artists as his inspirations, including Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran, and Billy Fury. He attended the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards held in Manchester.[10][11] Reay has over 4.7 million followers on social media, including 3.5 million followers on TikTok, 550,000 on Instagram, 570,000 on YouTube, and 138,000 followers on Facebook. Two videos of Reay performing "Devil in Disguise" by Elvis Presley and "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran have collectively garnered 56 million views on TikTok.[12][13]
^Garfitt/Invision/AP, Scott A. Garfitt-invision linkable, Scott A. (2024-11-10). "Britain MTV European Music Awards Arrivals". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2024-11-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
