Review: RAYE: THIS TOUR MAY CONTAIN NEW MUSIC at State Theatre Minneapolis

On April 8, RAYE took over the State Theatre in Minneapolis, and the whole night felt more personal than polished—in a good way. It was part of her RAYE: This Tour May Contain New Music tour, with Absolutely and amma opening things up and setting a pretty low-key, intimate vibe from the start.

If you know her story, it kind of adds another layer to everything. She first got big releasing dance tracks with Polydor Records, but really grabbed attention when she left the label after they wouldn’t release her debut album. You could feel that independence in how she performed—like she’s fully in control now.

She opened with “Girl Under the Grey Cloud,” which didn’t try to be huge or flashy, just eased everyone in. The State Theatre made it sound even better—her voice just filled the room without her having to push it. “I Will Overcome” built things up a bit more, but still kept that emotional edge instead of going full pop anthem.

“WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” was one of the more fun moments—kind of dramatic, kind of sarcastic, and very her. Then she pulled it back again with “Skin & Bones” and “Beware,” which were a lot more stripped down and honestly some of the strongest parts of the night.

The middle of the set slowed things down in a good way. “The South London Lover Boy” and “Winter Woman” felt warmer, more relaxed, and “Nightingale Lane” had this almost nostalgic feel to it. By the time she got to “I Know You're Hurting,” the crowd was super quiet—you could tell people were really locked in.

“Oscar Winning Tears” was probably the most emotional moment. No big production, just her and the song, and it hit hard. After that, “Click Clack Symphony” and “Black Mascara” picked the energy back up without feeling out of place.

“Joy” gave a little bit of a lift before she closed with “Escapism,” which didn’t feel like a huge ending, but more like something lingering. It was a slower, moodier finish that kind of stuck with you.

Overall, it didn’t feel like a big, flashy concert—it felt more like she was just being real the whole time. Everything flowed, nothing felt forced, and the “new music” part of the tour actually feels like it means something. It’s less about looking back and more like she’s figuring out what comes next right in front of you.

Photo courtesy of RAYE