Raye made her Toronto stop on Monday for This Tour May Contain New Music, where she delivered a variety of musical genres that made the show feel like multiple performances in one. It confirmed my love for the singer and her music, and I know come the next Toronto tour stop, whenever that may be, she would be selling out venues much bigger than Monday’s.
The sold-out near 8,000-capacity show was performed at the Coca-Cola Coliseum, which was easily accessible by both GO Train and transit. The line stretched from the venue’s doors to the streetcar stop ahead of doors opening at 6:30 p.m. I spoke to the first few people in line, who informed me they had been waiting since 3:30 p.m. to get inside.
Raye tends to bring a 1920s cabaret vibe to her shows, seamlessly mixing the old Hollywood style, with symphony orchestra, pop and even techno, so I knew I was in for a treat.
The concert opens with Raye’s own sisters, with singer Amma starting off right at 7 p.m. Amma sang her hit songs “Blame Game,” “If You Don’t Love Me,” and even songs off her new album “Middle Child,” which drops Wednesday. The singer brought soul and emotion to her set, as well as humour in between songs, leaving the crowd wanting more.
Following Amma’s set, she and Raye’s younger sister, who goes by Absolutely, graced the stage just after 7:40 p.m. Her R&B and pop style had the audience moving, with hit songs like “Paracosm,” “No Audience,” and “I Just Don’t Know You Yet.” The blue spot light on her tied together the emotional atmosphere, getting the crowd warmed up for a powerful night.
Just on time, Raye entered the stage with her latest album “This Music May Contain Hope” first track “Intro: Girl Under the Grey Cloud.” Simulating a storm on stage, the singer walked onto stage wearing a big white fur coat, as she performed her spoken-word style track.
Following this, the stage transformed, unveiling a musical ensemble made up of string and wind instrumentalists. Starting with this cabaret jazz vibe, the artist started singing her latest hit song “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND,” which brought the crowd to their feet, as they witnessed her clean choreography and quick-style singing.
Following this, Raye played more songs from her new album, introducing each song about what they were talking about, touching on topics such as exes, poor dating scenes, and love. The energy was high, just like the production value, as the singer implemented storytelling, humour and sets into her show. She played hits such as “Skin and Bones,” “Beware… The South London Boy Lover,” and “Worth It.” She even covered Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon,” as she pretended to sit in “Raye’s Jazz Club.”
Soon, the energy shifted to a more somber one, with Raye touching on serious topics, such as trauma and sexual assault. Addressing the crowd, Raye explained how some people can be evil, and that she was sending a “musical hug” to anyone who experienced similar situations, ahead of singing her song “Ice Cream Man,” which won a Grammy for the 2026 Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award. This song awards the singer a two-minute standing ovation, as she paused to take in the crowd, with tears streaming down her face. She later also addressed anyone in the crowd thinking of “giving up,” before singing her hit song “Life Boat,” which transformed a soulful environment into a dance party by the end of it.
As she moved forward, Raye made an outfit change midway through, going from a satin red to a sparkly black dress, as she switched genres to a symphony vibe, singing songs like “Oscar-Winning Tears,” and “Click Click Clack Symphony feat. Hans Zimmer.”
The show ended in a rave, with techno music and LED lights gracing the arena.
All in all, the concert was one to remember and I would even go as far as to say it was the best show I’ve ever been to.
For two straight hours, Raye gave it her all, with outfit changes, set changes, genre switch up and humour. The singer even frequently addressed specific fans in the crowd, even pointing out specific people at the back of the crowd at one point.
Her concert was detailed and thought out to be just what it sought out to be, an upbeat performance. One that kept fans on their feet and emotions running high for the entire duration.
As Raye continues to rise as a talented artist, even paving the way for her younger sisters, she continues to pull in new fans with her variety and engagement as she goes.
I wrote down one word after the concert: “transcendent.”
