The Hardest Working Woman. The Saviour of Music. Inventor of Free Will. Queen of Memes.

Whatever title you wish to bestow upon Mercedes, one thing is for certain regardless - she is a natural born star. When Mercedes walks into a room, you feel her presence. Whenever she is on screen, the camera naturally focuses on her radiant aura. These statements could very well be considered as being conceited and narcissistic if they weren't rooted in cold, hard facts.

Born 'Mercedes Aurora Payne' to a Moroccan-Swedish father and an English-Serbian mother, life was immediately exciting, eclectic and incredibly unique from the job. Raised in the cultural melting pot of London and having an extended family that spans across the globe, Mercedes may have a truly individual identity and sense of self but one thing she has never been is alone. The centre of attention at every family gathering ever since she could walk and talk, Mercedes never felt more at home than when she was receiving applause and adoration from her elders, making them laugh, cheer and sometimes cry in the process. With no showbusiness running through the vast family veins at all, her besotted relations dubbed her "an anomaly" and could all see that she had a bright future in front of the camera ahead of her.

Before gracing our screens, magazine covers and ascending the charts, Mercedes was already a local celebrity in Bethnal Green and its surrounding areas. Blessed with "the gift of the gab", Mercedes was known as the spritely young lady who ran a clothing market stall with her older sister on the weekends. Befriending any and every curious market goer, Mercedes' natural charm and charisma drew in people from all walks of life which in turn made them more comfortable with handing over their cash. She could sell firewood to a lumberjack. When she wasn't selling leggings from a market stall like a true EastEnders character, Mercedes was singing in her parents' pub and also pulling a few pints when she was of age. Her parents, Zain and Louisa, were well-respected and adored figures in their local community and their kids were their crowning achievement. Everybody knew who they were and the Paynes often found themselves at the epicentre of most community events whether that was providing entertainment, a venue, catering or a bit of everything. A loveable family filled with a natural star power and blessed with astoundingly good looks, it was only a matter of time before the world of celebrity came knocking.

Mercedes always yearned to sing. Any money she could scrape together would go towards hiring out studio time with the hope of piecing together a demo record. At the age of 16, Mercedes signed to a modelling agency but this was merely a stepping stone towards the ultimate goal of musical stardom. Her striking beauty and ethnically ambiguous mystique made Mercedes a hot commodity, resulting in a plethora of modelling ventures to fall into her lap. Although small-time gigs, her side hustle in front of the lens allowed Mercedes to continue booking studio sessions and complete a fully-fledged demo tape. Armed with a collection of songs that showcased her pipes and a raw, London sound, and a bulging portfolio of professional photographs, Mercedes was more than prepared when she began shopping around for management and recording deals. Her tenacity, professionalism and work ethic - not to mention her talent - piqued the interest of many industry bigwigs and resulted in what was essentially a battle royale for her signature on the dotted line.

Mercedes formally signed to the newly relaunched Hot Eye Records in 2012 and became an overnight sensation without having released any music. Publicly endorsed by Stephanie Fierce and being compared to a 'lovechild' between Fierce and her music rival Tisha Jackson, Mercedes had tongues wagging from the off. Her barrage of photoshoots which showcased her jaw-dropping beauty and cool, edgy, London street styling began circling the internet and music fans were abuzz with anticipation, already sensing Payne's star power from pictures and articles alone. Mercedes officially released her debut single, 'Shine On', in September 2012 to immense fanfare. The track debuted and peaked at #3 on Chart Heat, becoming the highest new entry of the week and being certified Platinum in less than a year. Soon afterwards, the phone never stopped ringing with fellow artists reaching out with collaborative ideas. Mercedes, despite being a newcomer, quickly landed herself on guest slots on tracks by acts such as Foxxxy and Allura Silk, respectively.

Despite an incredibly successful launch, negotiations behind the scenes reached a stalemate. Mercedes' hotly anticipated debut album was often teased throughout 2013 but nothing ever came to fruition. Payne, however, kept her name out there by pivoting back into the fashion world and becoming somewhat of a red carpet darling, adorning an exciting mix of eye-catching, daring, beautiful and high-end designs. A second single, 'Bounce', was released in 2014. It was initially mapped out as the new lead single from her revamped album. Despite garnering acclaim and charting at an impressive #2, no full length project followed. Mercedes' contract was terminated when Hot Eye Records closed its doors once again.

In the years that followed, despite releasing no music, Mercedes' star has somehow gone from strength to strength. Publicly appearing in support of her friends and fellow peers' projects, embracing the memes about her that eager (and extremely patient) fans created, racking up hilarious viral hit tweets, aligning herself with the beloved Hess Clan and continuously showing her admirable resilience over the past decade in the face of adversity, Mercedes never allowed herself to shy away and retire. Between her extensive industry friendships and irresistibly loveable demeanour, Mercedes accumulated an overwhelming amount of goodwill in regards to her inevitable comeback. The internet wanted to finally see her succeed and rallied together to make it their mission.

Mercedes quietly signed a deal with Five Pesky Kids Records in 2024, a label owned by her good friends, Weekend. Making a conscious decision not to announce her brand new deal, Mercedes instead decided to work hard in silence and play the long game this time around. Payne has gone on record in the past stating that the anticipation and expectations surrounding her initial signing back in 2012 was "incredibly overwhelming" and that she believed she was "set up to fail" due to having an "impossible bar" to clear. Mercedes took a more relaxed, loosely structured DIY approach to the recording of new material to which Pesky honoured, placing no deadline or agenda upon her. Writing and recording in her own time within her home upon The Duke of Winchester, Mercedes states she now feels "more liberated than ever" which has allowed her to make music that "has no goalposts" and that she "couldn't have ever envisioned making 10 years ago".

With dear friend Riley Hamilton in tow, Mercedes officially returned to the music scene in 2025 after an 11 year absence. The quirky, punchy, pop-punk collaborative single "No Guts, No Glory" received rave reviews from critics and musical peers upon release and catapulted Mercedes to #1 on Chart Heat, a position which previously eluded her. With one release, Mercedes' long-awaited comeback already proved more successful than her first stab at it. A second single, the doo-wop and surf rock inspired "Makeshift Chemistry", continued her newfound ballsy and tongue-in-cheek lyricism. The track become her second #1 single and further increased the appetite for more. Making up for over a decade of musical drought, Mercedes then released the third single from her forthcoming project, the politically-charged indie rock anthem "The Horse You Rode In On" with acclaimed singer-songwriter, Jack Dunn. Continuing the trend of racking up #1s, the track debuted atop the Chart Heat Hot 20 and was lauded by critics.

Despite over ten years within the industry, it is evident that we have only scratched the surface on what Mercedes can do and what she has to offer. Ms. Payne is no one trick pony and it is clear that we can never be too sure what she has up her sleeve next. All we know is that we will be watching and waiting with bated breath.






S I N G L E S

Shine On [#3]
Bounce [#2]
No Guts, No Glory (feat. Riley) [#1]
Makeshift Chemistry [#1]
The Horse You Rode In On (feat. Jack Dunn) [#1]


A L B U M S

TBC


G U E S T - A P P E A R A N C E S

21st Century Hoez (Allura Silk feat. Mercedes) [#19]




"I WISH I had sexual relations with that woman!" - Bill Clinton

"I died so that she could sin." - Jesus Christ

"She can put Baby in the corner!" - Johnny Castle

"I wouldn't want to arm wrestle her!" - The Hulk

"I made her an offer but she refused!" - Don Vito Corleone

"She makes me want to do more for my fellow man." - Mother Teresa

"And that's the bottom line, 'cause Mercedes said so!" - Steve Austin

"Hey cousin, let's go bowling!" - Roman Bellic