Contemporary R&B artist Arin Ray parlayed appearances on TV's The X Factor into work as a songwriter for names like and before making his full-length solo debut with 2018's Platinum Fire on a major label. Artists including but not limited to and contributed to the singer and songwriter's second album, 2022's Hello Poison.

During the first season of The X Factor in 2011, the Cincinnati native was eliminated as a member of the bootcamp-stage group Intensity. He returned in 2012 for the second season, mentored by , and finished tenth. Ray self-released a single, "Turn It Up," in 2013, but within a couple years had co-written songs for ("Love Like That") and ("KAE"). Ray resumed solo work with the Phases EP in 2016, the same year he was credited with co-writing songs for the likes of (the charting single "Ain't You"), ("Ride"), ("Another Summer"), and ("Don't Stop the Vibe").