Britney Spears and Dua Lipa Songwriter Talay Riley Stabbed to Death in London

Talay Riley (Instagram @talayriley)

JAKARTA - The international music world is in mourning after Grammy-winning songwriter Talay Riley was reportedly killed in a fatal stabbing incident in London, England.

The 35-year-old musician, whose real name is Mark Orabiyi, is widely known for his major contribution in creating hit songs for a row of top singers such as Britney Spears, Dua Lipa, and Khalid.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that Orabiyi was found with a stab wound at a residence in the Silvertown area of East London on Friday morning, June 5, local time.

Although he was rushed to the local hospital, his life was not saved and he was declared dead.

In the same bloody incident, the police also found a second victim, a man in his 20s who was stabbed. Fortunately, the injuries suffered by the second victim were reported not to be life-threatening and are currently undergoing intensive care.

The authorities moved quickly by arresting three people suspected of being involved in this alleged murder. The 27-year-old man was released on bail while awaiting further investigation, while a 24-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were released without further legal action.

Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke of the Metropolitan Police said the investigation process is still ongoing intensively to uncover the motive behind this dark incident.

"Our investigation continues rapidly. I would like to appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident to speak to the police," Yorke said, quoted by Billboard, Tuesday, June 9.

He also added that the police were very much looking forward to the participation of the public who had surveillance camera footage or other digital evidence.

"We are very interested to hear from anyone who may have CCTV footage or other video footage from the morning of the incident that could assist our investigation," he said.

For information, Talay Riley is a genius behind the scenes who has produced great works. Some of his popular song credits include Britney Spears' "Clumsy" (2016), Dua Lipa's "Last Dance" (2016), and Chris Brown's "Zero" and "Fine By Me" (2016). He also co-wrote the global hit song "Young Dumb & Broke" (2017) by Khalid.

Together with his brother, Scribz Riley (Michael Orabiyi), Talay was involved in writing the song "Lights On" which was included in H.E.R's self-titled album in 2017.

The album was successful in winning the Best R&B Album award at the 2018 Grammy Awards and was nominated for Album of the Year.

Talay's sudden departure left a deep sadness for the music industry and his family. Through a post on social media, Scribz Riley gave a touching last tribute to his brother.

"You have inspired so many people and your legacy will live on through your music, your family, your friends, and everyone who was lucky enough to know you," Scribz wrote.

He also expressed his gratitude for the emotional support that flowed to his family during this difficult time. "Thank you to everyone who has contacted me and my family, we appreciate you all. Even with everything you have achieved, this is far too soon. Until we meet again," he concluded.