Raymond Adrien Dalton (born May 10, 1990)[2] is an American singer based in Seattle, Washington. He began his career as a gospel and R&B singer.[3] Dalton gained prominence as the featured artist on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' 2011 song "Can't Hold Us", which gained popularity between 2012 and 2013, eventually topping the charts in multiple countries including the Billboard Hot 100. The song was certified platinum in the U.S. in April 2013.[4] He has won two MTV Video Music Awards.[5]

Ray Dalton
Dalton in 2010
Dalton in 2010
Background information
Birth nameRaymond Adrien Dalton
Born (1990-05-10) May 10, 1990 (age 34)
San Bernardino, California, U.S.[1]
OriginSeattle, Washington
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active2009–present
Websiteraydalton.com

Life and career

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Dalton's mother is Mexican American and his father is African American.[4] He began singing at the age of 6 on the advice of his music teacher, joining the Seattle Children's Choir. He continued to sing through high school. He has described himself as a fan of Fleetwood Mac.[4] Dalton spent his senior year in high school listening to Missy Elliott, Amy Winehouse, and Kanye West, according to an interview with MTV News.[4]

Aside from music, Dalton is a tennis player who has worked as a tennis instructor.[3] He gave up teaching tennis following the success of "Can't Hold Us" to pursue a full-time career as a musician.[3] Dalton sings in the Total Experience Gospel Choir of Seattle as of 2013.[3]

Dalton's work drew the attention of producer Ryan Lewis, who had heard Dalton's singing on a song for another artist.[3] Lewis reached out to Dalton via Facebook.[3] Dalton soon began collaborating with Lewis and Macklemore in the studio.[3] The first song the trio worked on together was Macklemore and Lewis' 2011 single, "Wings".[3]

In June 2012, Dalton released his first single, "So Emotional",[6] which was mixed by Lewis. He also announced he was working on his "own project" to be called The Dalton Show.[7]

Dalton, Lewis, and Macklemore created the hook for "Can't Hold Us" in one day.[3] Dalton shot his scenes for the single's music video while on tour in New Zealand in March 2013.

Discography

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Studio albums

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List of studio albums, with selected certifications
Title Details Certifications
Thee Unknown

Singles

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As lead artist

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List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
AUT
[9]
BEL
(Fl)

[10]
BEL
(Wa)

[11]
CRO
Int.
Air.

[12]
CZE
Air.

[13]
EST
Air.

[14]
GER
[15]
POL
Air.

[16]
SVK
Air.

[17]
SWI
[18]
"So Emotional" 2012 * Non-album singles
"If You Fall" 2017
"Bass Down" 2018
"In My Bones" 2020 13 44 26 2 2 2 Thee Unknown
"Good Times Hard Times" Non-album singles
"If You're Tired"
(with Connor Duermit)
"Don't Make Me Miss You" 2021 [A] [B] 15
"Melody"
(with Vinai)
"Manila"
(with Álvaro Soler)
15 23 37 1 19
"The Best Is Yet to Come" 2022
"Call It Love"[25]
(with Felix Jaehn)
19 22 12 4 12 18 3 18 17
  • ZPAV: 2× Platinum[8]
Thee Unknown
"Do It Again" 2023 38 58 9 2 1
"All We Got" 2024 51 17 12
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
"*" denotes the chart did not exist at that time.
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List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[27]
AUS
[28]
BEL
(Fl)

[10]
BEL
(Wa)

[11]
DEN
[29]
FRA
[30]
NOR
[31]
NZ
[32]
SWE
[33]
SWI
[18]
UK
[34]
"Kingdom Come"
(Dyno Jamz featuring Ray Dalton)
2010 Dyno Jamz
"Can't Hold Us"
(Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton)
2011 1 1 2 2 4 3 4 4 1 4 3 The Heist
"Whisper"
(Camila Recchio featuring Ray Dalton)[41]
Non-album singles
"Need Your Love"
(Sol featuring Ray Dalton)
2012
"Visceral"
(John Mark McMillan featuring Ray Dalton)
2014 The Borderland Sessions
"Don't Worry"
(Madcon featuring Ray Dalton)
2015 82 10 15 5 2 4 28 14 8 54 Non-album singles
"Stronger"
(Arty featuring Ray Dalton)
2016 Glorious
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Guest appearances

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List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"Believe" 2018 Alex Aldea, Camila Recchio The First Mrs. Claus

Notes

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  1. ^ "Don't Make Me Miss You" did not reach the region's Ultratop 50 chart, but was registered on the Ultratip Bubbling Under ranking.[10]
  2. ^ "Don't Make Me Miss You" did not reach the region's Ultratop 50 chart, but charted at number 28 on the Ultratip Bubbling Under ranking.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Uitti, Jacob (2021-01-29). "Ray Dalton Carves His Own Path with "In My Bones"". American Songwriter. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  2. ^ "Raymond Adrien Dalton, Born 05/10/1990 in California | CaliforniaBirthIndex.org". www.californiabirthindex.org. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Unterberger, Andrew (2013-03-22). "Talking Tennis, Rachael Ray and "Can't Hold Us" with Macklemore Hook Man Ray Dalton". Popdust. Archived from the original on 2013-03-24. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
  4. ^ a b c d Thomas, Rebecca (2013-04-30). "Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' 'Can't Hold Us': Decoding The Hook! Ray Dalton, the 22-year-old crooner behind the catchy chorus, talks to MTV News about the Seattle duo, that epic video and a few baffling lyrics". MTV News. Archived from the original on May 3, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
  5. ^ Willis, Kim (2013-08-26). "MTV VMAs: The winners and nominees". USATODAY. Retrieved 2013-12-06.
  6. ^ "So Emotional, by Ray Dalton". Ray Dalton.
  7. ^ "RayDalton.com - Biography". Archived from the original on May 31, 2013.
  8. ^ a b c d e "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 23, 2024. Click "WYKONAWCA" and enter Ray Dalton in the search box.
  9. ^ "Discographie Ray Dalton" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c Hung, Steffen. "Discografie Ray Dalton". Belgium (Flanders) Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  11. ^ a b c Hung, Steffen. "Discographie Ray Dalton". Belgium (Wallonia) Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  12. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Croatia:
  13. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Czech Republic:
  14. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Estonian Airplay:
  15. ^ "Discographie Ray Dalton" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  16. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Poland:
  17. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Slovakia:
  18. ^ a b Hung, Steffen. "Discographie Ray Dalton". Swiss Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  19. ^ "Du hast nach In My Bones gesucht - IFPI Austria". www.ifpi.at. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
  20. ^ a b "Austrian certifications – Ray Dalton" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  21. ^ "French single certifications – Ray Dalton – In My Bones" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  22. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Ray Dalton)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  23. ^ "Du hast nach Manila gesucht - IFPI Austria". www.ifpi.at. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
  24. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community". www.swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
  25. ^ "Call It Love – Single by Ray Dalton". Apple Music. September 16, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  26. ^ "Adatbázis – Arany- és platinalemezek – 2024" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ.
  27. ^ Peak positions for singles in the US:
  28. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Discography Ray Dalton". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  29. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Discography Ray Dalton". Danish Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  30. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Discographie Ray Dalton". French Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  31. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Discographie Ray Dalton". Norwegian Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  32. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Discography Ray Dalton". New Zealand Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  33. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Discography Ray Dalton". Swedish Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung).
  34. ^ Peak positions in the United Kingdom:
  35. ^ "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  36. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  37. ^ "Gold & Platinum". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  38. ^ "Les Certifications: Macklemore" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  39. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart – 22 April 2013". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
  40. ^ "British certifications – Can't Hold Us". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  41. ^ "Camila Recchio - Whisper (feat. Ray Dalton) Official Music Video". YouTube. 2011-12-28. Retrieved 2015-08-29.
  42. ^ "ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS". www.ultratop.be.
  43. ^ "British certifications – Madcon Ft Ray Dalton – Don't Worry". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  44. ^ "Madcon Feat. Ray Dalton "Don't Worry" | IFPI". ifpi.dk. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  45. ^ "Trofeoversikt". IFPI (in Norwegian Bokmål). 17 April 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  46. ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  47. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 33, 2015". Sverigetopplistan (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  48. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community". www.swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
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