Raymond Adrien Dalton (born May 10, 1990) is an American singer based in Seattle, Washington. He began his career as a gospel and R&B singer. Dalton gained prominence as the featured artist on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' 2011 song "Can't Hold Us", which gained popularity between 2012 and 2013, eventually topping the charts in multiple countries including the Billboard Hot 100. The song was certified platinum in the U.S. in April 2013. He has won two MTV Video Music Awards.

Life and career Dalton's mother is Mexican American and his father is African American. He began singing at the age of 6 on the advice of his music teacher, joining the Seattle Children's Choir. He continued to sing through high school. He has described himself as a fan of Fleetwood Mac. Dalton spent his senior year in high school listening to Missy Elliott, Amy Winehouse, and Kanye West, according to an interview with MTV News.

Aside from music, Dalton is a tennis player who has worked as a tennis instructor. He gave up teaching tennis following the success of "Can't Hold Us" to pursue a full-time career as a musician. Dalton sings in the Total Experience Gospel Choir of Seattle as of 2013.

Dalton's work drew the attention of producer Ryan Lewis, who had heard Dalton's singing on a song for another artist. Lewis reached out to Dalton via Facebook. Dalton soon began collaborating with Lewis and Macklemore in the studio. The first song the trio worked on together was Macklemore and Lewis' 2011 single, "Wings".

In June 2012, Dalton released his first single, "So Emotional", which was mixed by Lewis. He also announced he was working on his "own project" to be called The Dalton Show.

Dalton, Lewis, and Macklemore created the hook for "Can't Hold Us" in one day. Dalton shot his scenes for the single's music video while on tour in New Zealand in March 2013.

Discography

Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected certifications Title Details Certifications Thee Unknown Released: September 20, 2024 Label: Sony Music, Epic Records Germany Formats: CD, digital download, streaming ZPAV: Gold

Singles

As lead artist +List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positionsCertifications Album AUT BEL(Fl) BEL(Wa) CROInt.Air.Peak chart positions for singles in Croatia: "In My Bones": "Call It Love": "Do It Again": CZEAir. ESTAir.Peak chart positions for singles in Estonian Airplay: "Call It Love": "Do It Again": "All We Got": GER POLAir.Peak chart positions for singles in Poland: "In My Bones": "Don't Make Me Miss You": "Manila": "Call It Love": "Do It Again": "All We Got": "Blood Running": SVKAir. SWI "So Emotional" 2012 — — — — — rowspan="10" — — — —rowspan="3" "If You Fall" 2017 — — — — — — — — — "Bass Down" 2018 — — — — — — — — — "In My Bones" 2020 — 13 44 26 2 — 2 2 — IFPI AUT: Gold SNEP: Platinum ZPAV: Platinum Thee Unknown "Good Times Hard Times" — — — — — — — — — rowspan="6" "If You're Tired"(with Connor Duermit) — — — — — — — — — "Don't Make Me Miss You"2021 — — — — — — 15 — — "Melody" — — — — — — — — — "Manila" 15 — — — — 23 37 1 19 BVMI: Gold IFPI AUT: Gold IFPI SWI: Gold "The Best Is Yet to Come" 2022 — — — — — — — — — "Call It Love" 19 22 — 12 4 12 18 3 18 17 ZPAV: 2× Platinum Thee Unknown "Do It Again" 2023 — — — 38 58 9 — 2 1 — IFPI AUT: Gold MAHASZ: Platinum ZPAV: Platinum "All We Got" 2024 — — — — — 51 — 17 12 — ZPAV: Gold "Blood Running" 2025 — — — — 3 — — 23 1 — rowspan="3" "I Just Wanna Be Happy" 2026 — — — — 8 — — — — — "Go That High" — — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory."*" denotes the chart did not exist at that time.

As featured artist + List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positionsCertifications Album USPeak positions for singles in the US: For "Can't Hold Us": AUS "Don't Worry": BEL(Fl) BEL(Wa) DEN FRA NOR NZ SWE SWI UKPeak positions in the United Kingdom: For "Can't Hold Us": "Kingdom Come"(Dyno Jamz featuring Ray Dalton) 2010 — — — — — — — — — — — Dyno Jamz "Can't Hold Us"(Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton) 2011 1 1 2 2 4 3 4 4 1 4 3 RIAA: Diamond ARIA: 13× Platinum BEA: 2× Platinum IFPI DEN: 2× Platinum SNEP: Gold RMNZ: 2× Platinum GLF: 2× Platinum IFPI SWI: Platinum BPI: 6× Platinum The Heist "Whisper"(Camila Recchio featuring Ray Dalton) — — — — — — — — — — —rowspan="2" "Need Your Love"(Sol featuring Ray Dalton) 2012 — — — — — — — — — — — "Visceral"(John Mark McMillan featuring Ray Dalton) 2014 — — — — — — — — — — — The Borderland Sessions "Don't Worry"(Madcon featuring Ray Dalton) 2015 — 82 10 15 5 2 4 28 14 8 54 BEA: Gold BPI: Silver IFPI DEN: 2× Platinum IFPI NOR: 4× Platinum RMNZ: Gold GLF: Platinum IFPI SWI: Platinum "Stronger"(Arty featuring Ray Dalton) 2016 — — — — — — — — — — — Glorious "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Other charted songs As lead artist +List of other charted songs as lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Album CZEAir. "Thee Unknown" 2024 15 Thee Unknown

Guest appearances + List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name Title Year Other artist(s) Album "Believe" 2018 Alex Aldea, Camila Recchio The First Mrs. Claus

Notes

References

External links

Ray Dalton on Facebook