RAYE
Raye, The Met, Philadelphia, PA 4/19/2026
Sister Act
On April 19th, Raye turned The Metropolitan Opera House (aka The Met in Philadelphia) into an old-timey jazz club. For her ‘THIS TOUR MAY CONTAIN NEW MUSIC’ tour to promote her new album ‘THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.’(2026), with her sisters, Amma & Absolutely, each with an opening set.
Each of Raye’s sisters had a heavy influence of jazz in their music, yet still had a distinct sound to distinguish them. Amma, who opened the night, had a soft indie folk sound and a quiet stage presence. She admitted to the crowd, ‘I am not as well known as my sisters, but I won’t lie about how nervous I am for this tour’. Her candidacy and vulnerability got the crowd to pay attention to her set. She continued to sing beautiful, melodic songs and even covered “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. Absolutely, she commanded the stage as the cooler older sister following Amma. With powerful lasers and a more colorful set, she followed more of an indie-rock vibe with an undertone of jazz. She had confidence in her music that mesmerized the crowd. Her use of the electric guitar and heavy drums really highlighted her vocals beautifully. Raye, with her sisters opening for her, set the vibe that would continue throughout the night.
Raye, who grew up in South London, was surrounded by music her entire childhood. Her father was heavily involved in their local church’s music, which exposed her (and her sisters) to the art of songwriting and music production at a very young age. As her talent was inherently obvious from a young age, she completed her schooling at The BRIT School, a performing arts high school that helped improve her vocal skills, strengthen her music production, and enhance her lyricism. Other notable alumni are Adele, Amy Winehouse, and even Tom Holland. She eventually formed her very original sound, with influences of jazz, R&B, and electronic, that somehow morphs into a beautiful sound that amplifies Raye’s strong vocals. Though she has struggled with record labels that have prevented her from releasing a full album, she took a risky leap and became an independent artist. Her music made it to America through viral TikTok songs such as ‘WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!’, ‘Escapism’ and ‘Prada’.
It wasn’t until 2023 that she released her first album, ‘My 21st Century’, and the ‘THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE’(2026).
Opening her set by walking on stage with a huge fur coat, sunglasses on, and black gloves, the crowd knew they were in for a treat! Before she started to sing, a voice narrated the introduction to Raye, telling a story about how hard it is not to feel alone as a single person in their late-20s. She was showered with golden confetti by ‘crew members’ as she scurried off behind the red curtains. The curtains dropped to reveal that she had back-up singers, a full orchestra (full brass, percussion, keyboard, and strings section) and Raye opened the show with ‘WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!’. The crowd jumped out of their seats and immediately started dancing and singing along. The atmosphere at The Met was undeniably electric as Raye continued her set and the accompanying choreography. The set transcended the crowd into an old-timey jazz club. She and along with much of the crowd were dressed in beautiful gowns and tuxes. Most impressively was the fact that her vocals never got swallowed up in the sound of the orchestra or the back-up singers. Her voice was strong, and the only voice that could be compared to hers is the legend herself, Amy Winehouse. For her newer songs, she had the lyrics projected behind her so the crowd could follow along. Overall, Raye’s performance was not only visually beautiful, but the sound was what brought the show together completely. “THIS TOUR MAY CONTAIN NEW MUSIC.” is an amazing sister act that should not be missed when they’re in your city!
Shot and Written by Sarah Bruno
