Walking into the State Theatre on April 8, I didn’t expect to have one of the most incredible concert experiences of my life.
Months prior to this, a friend had offered me an extra ticket to an artist I had not heard of before: British singer-songwriter Raye. I accepted readily — I am a huge fan of live music — but braced myself for a concert that I would be going into absolutely blind. However, as I took my seat among the hundreds of Raye fans, I quickly learned that she is an artist who brings hope and joy wherever she goes, even to a little theater in the heart of Minneapolis.
After a fantastic performance from her openers and sisters, Amma and Absolutely, Raye took the stage and performed a brief prelude, with most of the set obscured by a red curtain. After Raye exited the stage, the curtain was pulled back to reveal a swinging orchestra, alongside Raye herself. She opened with her hit song “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!,” causing the audience to immediately jump to their feet and dance along. Raye’s jazzy performance electrified the crowd, as the women of the audience raised their hands in the air to display their wedding rings in response to the lyrics. Raye continued into more songs from her new album, “THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.,” one of which was “Beware.. The South London Lover Boy.,” a cinematic, lively number that Raye encouraged the audience to sing along to.
After a few more songs from the album, Raye shifted the set to an intimate jazz club, complete with furnished wooden tables and dimly-lit lamps. It was here that she performed an upbeat cover of “Fly Me To The Moon,” which had the audience listening along in ethereal bliss.
She also performed more somber songs, such as “Ice Cream Man.” and “I Know You’re Hurting.” These were beautiful, melancholy numbers, wherein Raye discussed topics of sexual assault and depression. In a moment that nearly brought me to tears, Raye directly addressed the audience and affirmed that they are loved. She reminded us that even in our darkest moments, life is always worth living, and that each and every one of us in the audience is special and deserves a life of hope.
Raye’s final number, “Joy.,” was one of my favorites of the night. She had previously turned the State Theatre into an electric rave, complete with flashing lights and booming music. For the finale, Raye shifted the atmosphere from chaotic and energetic to peaceful and triumphant. A rolling blue sky with wispy white clouds spread out on the backdrop behind Raye, hitting me with a feeling of jubilation. Raye was joined onstage by her openers, where the trio performed an extravagant final number that reinforced the State Theater as a place for joy and happiness, even in the darkest of times.
In spite of the gorgeous and enchanting melodies throughout the night, the real star of the show was Raye’s character. Raye is one of the most charming and genuine artists I have ever seen in concert, never failing to engage with and uplift the audience. A particular highlight occurred just after Raye had finished her encore number, “Escapism.” She spotted an audience member in the front row whom she recognized as a dedicated fan, even remembering the exact concert where they had first met. She purposefully took the time to pause the show in order to sign this fan’s record of her new album, eliciting cheers from the crowd. It was an incredibly touching moment when Raye made sure to center and inspire her fans.
Raye is a phenomenal artist, with a unique talent to relate and connect to her audience. Even though I had been unfamiliar with her, this performance cemented me as a diehard fan. I left the theater with only one thought in my mind: even in a world full of uncertainty and violence, there is always hope.
