Talay Riley, the British songwriter who penned hits for Dua Lipa, Britney Spears and Zendaya, has died after being stabbed at an address in east London on Friday morning. The 35-year-old, whose real name was Mark Olabanji A. Olayinka A. Orabiyi, was discovered with stab wounds in the garden of a property on Rayleigh Road in Silvertown, near Pankhurst Avenue, shortly before 9am. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
A second man, also in his 20s, was found with multiple stab wounds and taken to hospital; the Metropolitan Police said his injuries are not believed to be life‑threatening or life‑changing. Three people were initially arrested on suspicion of murder: a 27‑year‑old man, a 24‑year‑old man and a 25‑year‑old woman. The 27‑year‑old has been released on bail pending further enquiries, while the other two have been released with no further action. The following night, in an apparently unrelated incident, two men were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a large fight on River Road in Barking, where three men aged 28, 23 and 22 were found with stab wounds. The 22‑year‑old remains in a critical condition; the other two were discharged and taken into custody.
A career forged in London’s music scene
Riley, who was of Nigerian heritage and born and raised in east London, signed his first major publishing deal with Global Publishing at the age of 18. He first appeared as an artist in 2009, featuring on and co‑writing Chipmunk’s (now Chip) single Look for Me, which reached No 7 on the UK Singles Chart. He later signed with Jive/Sony Records and, in 2015, with Island Records. As a teenager he was known as an MC and local vocalist, lending his voice to tracks such as Hard Life with Lightnin in 2006.
His own singles included Humanoid (2010), Sergeant Smash (2011), Good as Gold featuring Scorcher, Make You Mine (which charted at No 57 in the UK) and Not Enough (2016). He released two albums: Going to California (2011) and Yinka, Vol. 1 (2019). At the time of his death he had around 76,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, and his YouTube and VEVO videos had accumulated more than five million views. He toured across the UK and the United States with artists including Skepta, Usher (on an arena tour) and Trey Songz. He cited Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé and James Brown as inspirations.
It was as a songwriter that Riley made his deepest mark. He co‑wrote Chip’s No 1 UK single Oopsy Daisy and contributed to tracks by an extraordinary range of international stars: Dua Lipa, Britney Spears, Zendaya, Tinie Tempah, Jessie J, Ellie Goulding, Craig David, Chris Brown, Nick Jonas, Khalid, Kehlani and H.E.R. His credits include Khalid’s global hit Young Dumb and Broke, The Chainsmokers’ Who Do You Love, FLO’s Walk Like This, Kehlani’s Out the Window, and he co‑wrote Lights On for H.E.R.’s Grammy‑winning self‑titled album. He is remembered by peers as one of the UK’s most respected songwriters and recording artists.
An outpouring of grief from the music industry
Riley’s family, who are being supported by specialist officers, released a statement on Sunday describing him as a “beloved son, brother, uncle and friend” who “brought love, light and joy to our family and to all who knew him”. The statement added: “We will always cherish his kindness, beautiful spirit, and remarkable talent. His presence touched many lives, and his memory will remain in our hearts forever. May his soul rest in perfect peace.”
Chip, his longtime collaborator, posted a tribute on Instagram: “You ain’t deserve to go out like that fam. Fly high bro. Your pen will live forever. What a day man. What a life… RIP Talay Riley. […] From pirate radio and Chanel U teens to #1 and platinum. Penaliens. We did that.” This Morning presenter Rochelle Humes replied on Chip’s post, saying: “May he rest in peace. I will always remember how kind he was to everyone and his friendly smile.”
Riley’s younger brother, Michael Orabiyi Riley – known professionally as Scribz Riley, a record producer and songwriter who has worked on Grammy‑winning projects – shared an emotional tribute on Instagram. “I never thought the day would come where I’d be writing this, but unfortunately I can confirm that in the morning of Friday 5th June my big brother YINKA (Talay Riley) passed away,” he wrote. “My heart is shattered! This doesn’t feel real. It feels like a bad dream. Just before he went to sleep we spoke about the future, staying positive and about everything we still had left to do. I never imagined that would be our last conversation. Yinka wasn’t just my brother. He was my mother’s son, a friend to many, a mentor, an inspiration, and a light in so many people’s lives.” He added: “Rest in paradise Yinka. Until we meet again.”
Stormzy wrote simply, “I’m sorry bro,” in the comments, while Craig David said he was “sending so much love to you and the family. His beautiful energy will continue to be felt and shown from the other side.” Singer Deborah Cox also paid tribute, calling him “so talented and lovely”.
Police appeal for witnesses
Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, who is leading the Met’s murder investigation, said: “This is a tragic incident and my thoughts remain with Mark’s family and loved ones. Our investigation continues at pace. I would like to appeal for anyone who was in the area at the time of this incident to speak to police. We are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who might have CCTV or other footage from the morning of the incident that could assist our investigation.” Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 1868/5JUN, or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
