On Wednesday, RAYE, a British singer and songwriter, delivered an emotional, high-energy show at the Minneapolis State Theatre, accompanying her latest album, “This Music May Contain Hope.”
Marking the first Minneapolis show since headlining First Avenue in 2023, RAYE brought storytelling, choreography and a full band to an audience of all ages.
The show jumped quickly from energetic to vulnerable. The singer sat down with the crowd to perform her emotional, Grammy-winning song “Ice Cream Man,” opening up about her experiences with sexual assault as a woman in the music industry.
She then transitioned into discussing suicide and mental health, telling the audience that they are loved and meant to be here. She was met with a standing ovation before performing “Life Boat,” a song off her new album with the repeated phrase “I’m not giving up yet.”
The show concluded with her two biggest hits, “Prada” and “Escapism.”
The main takeaway RAYE gave the audience was that music is medicine, which inspired the name for her new album.
The tour’s next stop is Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The tour will close in May at the O2 Arena in London, before joining Bruno Mars on his “The Romantic Tour” stadium run later in the summer.
