leo burghaus

I found myself, once again, with tickets to a concert of an artist unknown to me. In anticipation, my girlfriend had prepared me with a small backstory about who we were going to see: a songwriter to stars and a feature vocalist, whose career as an independent artist took off not long ago. This was her first major post-album headline tour across Europe, and she sold out the Palau here in Barcelona. And once again, I went with low expectations.

Who greeted us was a likeable, radiant, and much loved Raye. The stage was elegantly and minimalistically prepared, with an orchestra supporting her and two background singers. Raye is a very versatile singer, ranging from pop, to jazz, to R&B and electronic music. Versatile is also her voice: it can go from energetic and motivating, to soft and deeply touching. At times, I was moved and captivated, and at others, enjoying a good time and fun music.

Raye connects with the audiences. In between songs, she is speaking about how she feels in the moment, what she thinks, what the songs are about, and what parts of the show the crew believes need some work. It is true that at times she seemed a bit nervous and not 100% in control, but that, to me, was something that I found more charismatic than a problem. Often, I perceive celebrities as being machines, but she was sincere, natural, and human. I felt she was delighted, and frankly impressed, by the vast number of people who came to a show of hers in another country. I got the picture of someone who had to work really hard for many years to find her spot in this industry, and was now enjoying her moment. Raye was having fun, and she was able to transmit this very well.

I do believe Raye has room to grow when it comes to building one cohesive show. At times, it seemed like she had a lot she wanted to show and tried patching it together how she could. Since she is so versatile, it might always be something she has to balance: what does she leave out, how does she connect what stays in, and what is the important part she wants people to feel?

Additionally, there was one clear message to give to the crowd. It was to not give up, that everything will be alright, to keep going. I did sympathize with the message, especially because I understand that plenty of people from what is her main audience benefit from hearing this from someone they idolize. But I, personally, couldn’t connect with it; probably because of the lack of depth behind some of these mottos. I was, on the other hand, very moved by the piece she performed alone on a piano, relating the traumatic event she was forced to go through and how that left her afterward. When a story like that supports a motto or a claim, it becomes relevant.

All in all, I left impressed and as someone who will cheer for her career. During the concert, I thought that if I had a daughter, I would like her to be a Raye fan during her teenage years. I saw some dads leaving the concert in arms with their happy daughters.

Potentially, I am unaware of something¹, but from what I could see and what I know about her, she is someone that can be (and already is) a positive influence to many. Amazing voice, great vibes and a good head on her shoulders. I like her present, and I’m excited for her future.

1. I mean, some of the lyrics are not exactly family-friendly, but I’m not going to hold her accountable on that. ↩︎