Raye at Brighton Pride On The Park review: A joyful love letter to the LGBTQ+ community
Long before she was winning Grammys and selling out arenas, queer audiences were showing up for her. She knows it too
By Callum Wells
There is a lovely full-circle feeling to Raye headlining Brighton Pride On The Park.
Long before she was winning Grammys and selling out arenas, queer audiences were showing up for her. She knows it too.
Raye first played the festival in 2018, returned in 2022 supporting Christina Aguilera, and on Saturday night finally took top billing. Judging by the reception she received at Preston Park last night (1 August), it was a promotion that had been a long time coming.
Walking on stage to ‘Escapism’, she barely let the crowd catch its breath before launching into the next run of hits. Later came ‘Beware of the South London Boy’, while her effortless stage presence kept the audience hanging on every word.
“I wouldn’t have my career without this community” – Raye told the crowd at Brighton Pride On The Park
For all the vocal fireworks – and there were plenty – it was the moments between the songs that landed hardest.
“Ladies and gentlemen, gays and theys,” she greeted the crowd, in a way that felt perfectly at home at Brighton Pride.
“It’s such an honour to play this festival,” she told us, remembering the first time she appeared before the pandemic – back when she had blonde hair.
“You saw me as an artist before anyone else did,” she continued. “You came to my shows and supported me. I wouldn’t have my career without this community.”
It was one of those moments that didn’t feel rehearsed. Raye has never hidden how difficult her route to success was, and there was genuine emotion in her voice as the audience roared back.
The final stretch became an all-out “Rave”
A soaring rendition of Prince‘s ‘Purple Rain’ was one of the evening’s standout moments, before the set shifted gears. The final stretch became an all-out “Rave”, with her dancefloor-ready tracks including ‘Secrets’ and ‘ Prada’ turning Preston Park into one giant party.
She signed off with ‘Where Is My Husband?’, but not before giving the song a Pride makeover. The original recording of her grandmother declaring, “Your husband is coming,” had been re-recorded specially for the festival, this time proclaiming: “Your husband is gay.” It was a small but brilliantly camp touch that sent the crowd into raptures and provided the perfect ending to a set that never lost sight of who it was playing for.
If there was ever any doubt that she belonged at the top of the bill, last night put it to bed.