DistantNews
Support us
Raye at Montreux Jazz Festival: 'I wanted to tell the stories that marked this stage, but also those yet to be written'
🇨🇭 Switzerland /Culture & Society

Raye at Montreux Jazz Festival: 'I wanted to tell the stories that marked this stage, but also those yet to be written'

From Le Temps · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • British singer Raye celebrated the Montreux Jazz Festival's 60th anniversary with a special performance, "Moments in Time."
  • The show, co-created with Audemars Piguet, blended her music with tributes to legends who shaped the festival's history.
  • Raye emphasized a vision of creation that values long-term development and collaboration over the rapid pace of artificial intelligence in the music industry.

British singer Raye presented "Moments in Time" at the Montreux Jazz Festival, a special performance conceived for the festival's 60th anniversary and Audemars Piguet's 150th. The show aimed to bridge the past and future of music creation, a theme particularly relevant as the industry grapples with the rise of artificial intelligence.

Raye's performance featured a unique blend of her own compositions and covers, paying homage to iconic artists like Nina Simone, Ray Charles, James Brown, Prince, and Al Green. Accompanied by 23 musicians, including collaborators Mark Ronson and Alicia Keys, Raye constructed a narrative that celebrated the festival's rich history while looking ahead.

"It was impossible to simply get on stage and play my songs one after another. Everything had to have meaning," Raye stated, explaining her approach to the performance. She championed a vision of artistic creation that prioritizes "long time" and collective effort, contrasting it with the accelerated pace driven by AI. Her carte blanche at the festival underscored a commitment to thoughtful, enduring artistry.

It was impossible to simply get on stage and play my songs one after another. Everything had to have meaning.

— RayeExplaining her conceptual approach to the 'Moments in Time' performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Temps in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog