REN

Ren (full name Ren Erin Gill) is an independent singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and rapper raised on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales. Born in Bangor in 1990, Ren was formerly a member of indie group Trick the Fox and busking band The Big Push, before perusing a solo career. Ren's self-released debut album Freckled Angels was released in January 2016, followed by multiple EPs including The Tale of Jenny & Screech (2019) and Violet's Tale (2022). Through his music, Ren aims to raise awareness of his health problems. He was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012, having originally been misdiagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) years prior.

Ren's Official Chart debut appearance came courtesy of his album Sick Boi in October 2023. With neither the backing of a major label or the ability to perform live shows due to his health issues, Ren's close friends and fans rallied behind him with spectacular results. In its opening week, Sick Boi ended up in a nail-biting neck-and-neck chart battle with pop veteran Rick Astley's Are We There Yet?  While Rick took an early lead in the midweek Official Chart Update and maintained it for most of the race week, Ren overtook in the final 24 hours to land at Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart. Sick Boi became not only Ren's chart debut, but a chart-topping one too.