Rak-Su

Rak-Su is a British music group from Watford, England. Their music is a mix of R&B, pop, hip-hop, and Latin elements. The artists became widely known in 2017 after winning the 14th season of The X Factor as the first male group in the show's history. In this article, we will tell you about the history of the group, its members, and their albums.

The story of Rak-Su

Rak Su became famous not just for participating in the show, but also for winning by performing their own songs rather than covers, which is rare for competitions of this format. The band's name is a play on words, ‘Tracks vs Suits’ — music tracks versus boring adult life.

The creation of the band and X Factor

Rak-Su started out as a group of close friends from Watford: Ashley Fongho, Jamal Sherland, Miles Stevenson, and Mustafa Rahimtula had known each other for a long time and were making music together even before the band was officially formed.

Simon Cowell, producer and founder of the Syco Music label, one of the judges on The X Factor UK, noticed Rak-Su at the 2017 auditions, supported them during the show, and after their victory offered them a contract with Syco, launching their professional career.

In 2016, an official decision was made to form the group. The artists applied to participate in The X Factor UK, one of the most popular music television competitions in England. The guys passed the audition, managing to impress the judges and the audience with their original compositions. The show featured the artists' original tracks I'm Feeling You, Mona Lisa and Mamacita, which topped the iTunes UK charts during the broadcasts.

Rak-Su won the final, receiving more than half of the viewers' votes. Their winning song, Dimelo (featuring Wyclef Jean and Naughty Boy), was released immediately after the show's finale and reached number two on the British charts, which was a great success for the winning performers.

2018–present

After their triumph on The X Factor, Rak-Su signed a contract with Syco Music in the first half of 2018 and released their debut EP Rak-Su, which included songs from the show as well as new tracks.

Another famous British group, Little Mix, also started out on The X Factor. Rak-Su performed as the opening act on the group's tours and collaborated with them at concerts. This allowed them to gain an additional audience and experience performing on big stages.

Rak-Su also participated in concerts by Olly Murs, an artist whose path to fame also began on The X Factor. The group often performed in front of audiences in Birmingham and other cities in England.

In 2018–2019, Rak-Su actively released new tracks, among which Pyro Ting and I Want You To Freak are particularly notable. In 2020, Mustafa Rahimtulla left the group, but the remaining members continued to work and release music as a trio.

The group continues to develop, recording songs in the genres of R&B, pop and hip-hop, remaining active on the British music scene from 2016 to the present. The artists have a large fan base, not only in their home country.

Rak-Su members

Let's take a closer look at each member of the band.

Ashley Fongho

The artist was born on 1 September 1992 in Watford, England. He has been performing with the group since its inception as a rapper, songwriter and poet. His lyrics and style have helped the band develop a recognisable sound. Ashley became interested in writing music while he was still at school. His friendship with Myles was the catalyst for the formation of the group. Ashley's interests are not limited to music; he has also been involved in other projects, such as appearing on MF & DAZN X Series as part of boxing matches under the pseudonym ‘Ashley Rak-Su’. This has earned him fans from the world of sport. Ashley Fongho rarely shares details of his personal life, but he does occasionally post heartwarming photos with his family on social media and talks about how important the support of his loved ones is to him.

Jamaal Shurland

The musician was born in Watford on 8 April 1992. Jamaal Shurland is the lead singer of Rak-Su and also a songwriter. His melodic performance and charisma helped the band become popular. Jamaal moved to Great Britain when he was a child. The artist is active on social media, sharing moments from his life, creative ideas, photos with his girlfriend, and stories about his daily life with his fans. He also participates in the Courtside Podcast UK, a podcast dedicated to basketball.

Myles Stephenson

Myles Stephenson was born on 11 September 1991 in Watford. In Rak-Su, he combines two roles – rapper and producer – and is responsible for many of the beats and lyrics that have made the group's sound recognisable. Myles and Ashley have known each other since childhood – from the age of 11, they began creating music as teenagers.

The artist had a relationship with Gabby Allen, star of the reality show Love Island. The British media wrote about this romance. The couple even lived together for a while, but broke up in 2019. Miles Stevenson participates in television projects and shows such as I'm a Celebrity, promoting himself outside of the music scene.

Former members

Rak-Su was originally a quartet. One of the members left the group in 2020, while remaining friends with the other members.

Mustafa Rahimtulla

Mustafa Rahimtulla was born on 2 February 1991. As part of Rak-Su, he was responsible for DJing, beatboxing and dancing, bringing incredible energy and rhythm to their performances, which immediately won over fans. Like the rest of the band, he grew up in Watford, and their friendship began in their teenage years. In 2020, Mustafa announced that he was taking a break from performing with Rak-Su to focus on his mental health, and has not returned to the group since. After leaving the band, he continued to pursue dance and creative endeavours.

Albums

Rak-Su have been actively recording music since 2017. The group regularly releases EPs, singles and mini-albums, which are available on streaming services.

Rak-Su's debut album (EP) was released on 16 February 2018. It includes studio recordings of many tracks performed by the boys on The X Factor, including I'm Feeling You, Mamacita, Mona Lisa and Dimelo.

In the following years, Rak-Su released several other EPs and music projects, such as:

1. Rome (22 February 2019).
2. Lost Tour (released 23 April 2021).
3. Top Floor (with Late Checkout) — a collaborative EP released on 12 March 2025

Popular songs

A list of popular songs performed by Rak-Su that are most loved by listeners.

1. Dimelo — the hit song that won the group The X Factor, entered the UK Singles Chart, and reached number two.
2. I'm Feeling You — an original song from the show that instantly won the hearts of fans.
3. Mamacita is a bright and rhythmic composition with Latin elements.
4. Mona Lisa is another track that is well known to listeners.
5. I Want You to Freak is an energetic song with hip-hop elements.

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