RAYE Releases 'Live At Montreux Jazz Festival' Album

RAYE, COURTESY OF THE ORCHARD

“Are you ready to have a good time?” asks Rachel Keen better known as Raye at the start of her live concert album, Live At Montreux Jazz Festival.

This summer the South London artist performed at the Festivals 58th edition to encapsulate a transformational year.

A year in which she won six BRIT Awards, the most wins for any artist in a single year and became the first female to ever win Songwriter of the Year

Opening the project with ‘The Thrill is gone’, violent explosions occur with bluesy electric guitar patterns, supported by bass and off-beat drums that nicely complement RAYE’s intense and richly feeling vocals.

She pulls you to the edge of your seat as she tries to resurrect a dying romantic situation despite coming to terms that the excitement has passed.

RAYE taken by LuanaSchoch

‘Worth it’ adopts a smooth laidback solo for an intro, and then a snare kicks us off into orbit – a sensuous world full of affection and love as RAYE serenades her love interest in the hopes of something happening. She sings “Make it feel like it’s a 1960s Hollywood trailer, old school, I like classic like cars, like Elizabeth Taylor.”

Other tracks off her 2023 debut independent album, My 21st Century Blues, like the captivating ‘Mary Jane’ is an ode to unhealthy coping mechanisms and sees RAYE interact with the crowd.

Whilst the moving and empowering ‘Icecream Man’ is a stripped-back version that focuses solely on the message and memories that RAYE shares.

Raw, honest and emotional ‘Genesis’, produced by multiple GRAMMY Award winner Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins

attempts to articulate RAYE’s personal and relatable experiences about being a young woman in her twenties. It confronts her trauma amongst a sea of changing sounds that include big band, jazz, hip-hop, R&B, gospel and contemporary pop with strings, horns and snares.

Timeless in feel, the album also features RAYE's cover of the James Brown classic ‘It's a Man's Man's Man's World’ as she artfully draws attention to the influence and centrality of women

Ending with a 10-minute extended version of ‘Escapism’, she continues the themes of vulnerability and transparency as she navigates substance abuse and her struggles, finishing the project with the same intensity as she started.

The performance was even more personal, having taken place in Switzerland, and RAYE’s Swiss grandfather was able to see her perform for the very first time

"Playing Montreux Jazz Festival was one of the greatest musical honours we have ever been granted”, says RAYE. I am so enamoured and in awe of the history of all the artists who have stood on the stage we shared, a festival dedicated to celebrating and providing a platform for true musicianship. I am so proud of this day we got to stand on that stage. I left the stage feeling the highest of highs. 

Also in this moment my mum's father, Hans, my beautiful Swiss grandfather got to see me sing for the first time. This was the most beautiful day in my memories for myself and my band.

A day we will never forget and we wanted to share this moment with a beautiful vinyl for anyone who would care to listen."

Listen here