Rita Ray

DJ Rita Ray is a Club DJ, broadcaster, presenter, curator, performer and compiler. She presents the African music review for Focus On Africa on the BBC World Service.

As a DJ, Rita plays the whole spectrum of global music, getting her start on the ‘ones and twos’ at the legendary Mambo Inn club nights in the 1990s, she was part of the exciting revitalization of the world music scene in London. As a curator she programmes international music festivals including the acclaimed refugee arts festival Celebrating Sanctuary and Amazing Africa. Rita co-presented the first two BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music, compiled the annual CD and was later chair of the jury; other presentation highlights include the Festival in the Desert from Mali as well as WOMAD for BBC4. She is currently a jury member of AFRIMA The All Africa Music Awards, the exciting new initiative that in partnership with the African Union (AU), nurtures and rewards artistic excellence across the continent.