Rak-Su: Biography, Discography and More | EDM Encyclopedia

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Introduction

Rak-Su is a musical act originating from Watford, England. The group secured a victory on the fourteenth series of The X Factor in 2017. This achievement established them as the first male group to win the television competition in its history. The lineup during this pivotal television run consisted of Ashley Fongho, Jamaal Shurland, Myles Stephenson, and Mustafa Rahimtulla.

their national television victory, the quartet transitioned into the mainstream music industry. They maintained a four-piece configuration for three years. In November 2020, Mustafa Rahimtulla departed the project. This structural change left Fongho, Shurland, and Stephenson to carry the brand forward as a trio.

The remaining members shifted their focus toward live performances to close out the calendar year. They accepted a headline performance slot at Seal Bay Resort located in Selsey, United Kingdom, to ring in 2022. This engagement demonstrated their ongoing viability as a touring act outside the reality television bubble. The group operates with an active music timeline that commenced in 2016 and spans to their last documented release in 2021.

Genre and Style

While initially categorized under English R&B due to their vocal harmonies and television performances, the collective broadened their sonic palette significantly after the competition. They pivoted toward future house and electronic music, integrating programmed synthesizers and club-ready drum beats into their repertoire. This stylistic shift allowed them to transition from standard pop balladry into rhythm-driven dance tracks.

The future house Sound

Their approach to electronic music relies on blending accessible pop vocal melodies with UK garage inflections and deep basslines. Instead of relying solely on vocal acrobatics, the trio uses their voices as rhythmic components layered over tempo-synced production. Syncopated hi-hats and sub-bass drops feature heavily in their sound design, aligning with modern British club aesthetics. This production methodology separates their studio output from the traditional live-band format often associated with vocal groups from talent shows.

By incorporating elements of future house, the artists prioritize dancefloor momentum. Their arrangements frequently feature extended instrumental build-ups, repeated lyrical hooks, and drop sections designed for club sound systems. This direction requires a heavy emphasis on digital audio workstations, allowing the performers to bridge the gap between radio-friendly songwriting and DJ-oriented electronic music structures.

Key Releases

The act initiated their official release timeline with the Flights ’n’ Feels extended play in 2016. This project arrived just before their television debut and showcased their early experiments with soulful vocal layering over mid-tempo electronic backdrops. The record provided a foundational blueprint for their transition into dance music.

  • Flights ’n’ Feels
  • I Want You To Freak
  • I’m Feeling You
  • Finally free EDM mp3 Mixtape
  • Catching a Vibe

Discography Highlights

In 2018, the group delivered two distinct commercial offerings. The first was the single I Want You To Freak, a high-energy track heavily influenced by 1990s house music and club culture. They closed the year with I’m Feeling You, a release that further solidified their commitment to blending polished pop vocals with steady four-on-the-floor electronic rhythms. Both tracks highlighted their ability to produce radio-friendly club music.

As a trio, they released the Finally Free Mixtape in 2021. This collection provided a broader view of their capabilities, experimenting with varied electronic subgenres and EDM production techniques outside the constraints of standard single releases. The project marked their first long-form compilation since the departure of Rahimtulla. Later that same year, they distributed the single Catching a Vibe. This track served as their most recent documented release, finalizing their current discography with a focus on relaxed, groove-centric electronic production.

Famous Tracks

Rak-Su’s recorded output showcases a distinct fusion of English R&B and future house electronic music. Their mainstream introduction began with a win on the fourteenth series of The X Factor in 2017, establishing them as the first male group to secure the title. this television victory, the group transitioned into releasing original music that highlights their production style. In 2018, they released two notable singles that defined their early recording direction: I Want You To Freak and I’m Feeling You. These tracks demonstrated their approach to modern dance music, utilizing heavy basslines and vocal-driven hooks.

Building on their television success, the four-piece outfit, originally featuring Ashley Fongho, Jamaal Shurland, Myles Stephenson, and Mustafa Rahimtulla, continued to expand their catalog. Their initial pivot toward extended releases began with the Flights ’n’ Feels EP in 2016. This project provided a foundational blueprint for their sonic identity before they achieved national television recognition. By blending contemporary electronic EDM beats with R&B vocal layering, the group established a specific studio aesthetic that separated them from standard pop vocal groups in the United Kingdom market.

As the ensemble evolved into a trio the departure of Rahimtulla in November 2020, their studio output shifted slightly. The year, they released the Finally free EDM Mixtape (2021). This compilation further explored house elements and groove-based production. Included in this era of releases is the standalone track Catching a Vibe (2021). This single captures the group’s refined approach to electronic music, focusing on rhythmic pacing and melodic repetition. Their discography reflects a clear trajectory from vocal-driven R&B to a sound heavily rooted in club-friendly electronic production.

Live Performances

Originating from Watford, England, Rak-Su translated their studio productions into engaging live sets tailored for British nightlife environments. Their performances center on bringing future house arrangements to physical spaces, moving away from standard pop staging to adopt formats suited for club residencies and resort headlining slots. By incorporating electronic beats and live vocal processing, the trio delivers sets that emphasize continuous musical flow rather than traditional concert stop-and-start pacing.

Notable Shows

A key component of their live strategy involves direct engagement with domestic tourism audiences. At the close of 2022, Rak-Su secured a headline slot at Seal Bay Resort in Selsey, United Kingdom. This performance served as a major capstone to their year, placing the act in a vacation setting where upbeat electronic music functions as the primary entertainment. Headlining a resort venue requires a specific technical approach: the setlist must maintain high energy and danceability over an extended period. The group meets this requirement by utilizing their original house tracks as the structural foundation of their sets.

To execute these shows effectively, the remaining members divide performance duties to replicate the layered electronic production found in their recordings. With Ashley Fongho, Jamaal Shurland, and Myles Stephenson handling vocal delivery and stage presence, the group focuses on crowd participation. Their transition from a televised singing competition format to becoming a functional electronic dance act required a complete overhaul of their touring mechanics. They now operate as a self-contained performance unit, bringing future house sounds directly to localized audiences seeking high-tempo nighttime entertainment.

Why They Matter

Rak-Su represents a successful structural pivot within the British music industry. They took the visibility provided by a major television platform and redirected it toward a niche, club-oriented future house sound. Winning The X Factor in 2017 provided an initial audience base, but the group’s decision to pursue electronic music production rather than standard pop balladry demonstrates a clear adaptation to current market demands. This trajectory proves that television exposure can function as a stepping stone to establishing a viable career in electronic genres.

Impact on future house

The internal structural changes within the group further underscore their adaptability. When Mustafa Rahimtulla departed in November 2020, the remaining members restructured their dynamic rather than dissolving. As a trio, Ashley Fongho, Jamaal Shurland, and Myles Stephenson took direct control over their musical direction, leaning harder into the house elements that differentiate them from other male vocal groups. Their ability to write, produce, and perform their own material allows them to maintain authenticity within the electronic space.

Furthermore, their presence in the UK music scene highlights a blending of genres that expands the reach of future house music. By infusing English R&B vocal stylings with electronic dance music production, Rak-Su introduces club rhythms to a broader demographic. Their headline performance at Seal Bay Resort in 2022 quantifies their ongoing viability as a touring act. They matter because they successfully bridge the gap between mainstream television popularity and independent, genre-specific electronic music production, sustaining a dedicated live audience years after their initial introduction.

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