Ren

Ren, born Ren Gill, is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer from Brighton, England, whose music blends folk, rock, hip-hop and theatrical storytelling. Discovered while busking on the streets as a teenager, he signed a major-label deal early in his career but was later dropped after developing a mysterious, debilitating illness that took years to diagnose as Lyme disease.

During his prolonged illness, largely confined to his bedroom, Ren turned to writing and self-producing deeply personal songs exploring pain, isolation and depression, building a devoted online following through raw, character-driven narratives such as «Hi Ren», «Violet's Tale» and «Jenny's Tale». Crowdfunded support from fans helped him access stem cell treatment, and he released his debut album Freckled Angels in 2016 partly to raise awareness of his condition.

Ren has continued to record and perform independently, often still busking with friends in Brighton, and collaborated with British singer Sam Tompkins on the well-received 2018 track «Blind Eyed». In 2019 he co-founded a band project called The Big Push. His 2023 album Sick Boi became his first number-one release, cementing his reputation as a fiercely independent artist whose music is inseparable from his personal story of illness and resilience.