Rayana Jay Releases "Undefeated" Celebrating African-American Women in Sports

The Undefeated, ESPN’s multiplatform initiative exploring the intersections of sports, race and culture, in collaboration with Disney Music Group, released a single by R&B artist Rayana Jay entitled "Undefeated." The anthem celebrates the resilience of Black female athletes who face opponents on the courts, playing fields and track while simultaneously defying stereotypes, championing for change and redefining history.

Published and licensed by Hollywood Records, Undefeated features Jay, songwriter Blush (DMG) and producer Trak Girl. The single was recorded at the San Francisco-based Women’s Audio Mission, the only professional recording studio in the world built and run entirely by women. The single is available for download on Apple Music, Spotify and Widestream.

In addition, an Undefeated music video was released. Filmed in Brooklyn, N.Y., and directed by ESPN Films’ Marquis Daisy, the video features images of past and present Black female athletes, such as Florence Griffith Joyner (track & Field), Laila Ali (boxing), Simone Manuel (swimming), Candice Parker (basketball) and Serena Williams (tennis).

The release of Undefeated coincides with the WNBA All-Star Weekend, a mid-summer showcase of the top women’s professional basketball league in the world. Excerpts of the song and video will air on ABC during live broadcast of the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday, July 28, (3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT).

The Undefeated music video will be presented Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28 on Disney Channel and on DisneyNOW.  Additionally, the song will air on Radio Disney beginning July 27.

Undefeated – Giving a Musical Voice to the Struggle of the Black Female Athlete

The single Undefeated is an extension of a joint project between The Undefeated and Morgan State University’s School of Global Journalism and Communication. Commissioned by The Undefeated, Morgan State produced an academic study entitled “Beating Opponents, Battling Belittlement: How African-American Female Athletes Use Community to Navigate Negative Images” that examined the historical portrayal and imagery of black female athletes across sports from 1900 to present. For more about the study, log onto The Undefeated.