Arin Ray, born September 2, 1995, in Cincinnati, Ohio, is an R&B singer and songwriter known for a yearning tenor and detailed writing about attraction and regret. He first appeared on television as a teenager, competing on the first season of The X Factor as part of the group InTENsity and returning as a solo act in season two under Britney Spears' mentorship, where he finished tenth. He moved to Los Angeles in 2013 and spent several years writing for other artists, including Jason Derulo, Chris Brown and K. Michelle, before restarting his own career with the 2016 EP Phases. He signed to Interscope and released Platinum Fire in 2018 and Hello Poison in 2022, working with DRAM, Ty Dolla $ign and Kehlani. He returned to independence for Phases III in 2023.