RAYE makes debut as Bruno Mars' tour opener in New Jersey

RAYE makes debut as Bruno Mars’ tour opener in New JerseyRaye got overwhelmed with emotions as New Jersey crowd welcomed her enthusiastically. On Friday night, August 21, the Escapism hitmaker took over MetLife Stadium stage to open the first night of Bruno Mars’ show in East Rutherford as part of the ongoing The Romantic Tour. The 28-year-old, whose real name is Rachel Agatha Keen, could hardly contain her excitement after following her live performance. Taking to her Instagram Stories, she shared an audience-shot video, capturing her appearing on the stadium’s giant screen as thousands of fans watched. “Stadium 1 opening for @brunomars… wowwwww”, the British singer-songwriter captioned the clip, adding shocked and crying emojis. She then thanked the crowd, writing, “Thank you for the most beautiful welcome New Jersey.” For the unversed, RAYE is among the special guests joining Mars on his 2026 tour, with MetLife Stadium hosting four dates on August 21, 22, 25 and 26. The short-hair record producer performed fan favourites including Escapism and WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! The milestone came just a day after another major New York appearance. On August 20, the Worth It. Songstress performed outdoors at Rockefeller Plaza as part of the TODAY show's Citi Concert Series, where she showcased music from her sophomore album, This Music May Contain Hope. During that appearance, the Grammy-winner announced that she is on a creative “strike,”effectively putting her third album on hold until she finds love. She has already chosen its title, And Then She Fell in Love, but says she does not want to make the record until she has actually experienced the romance she wants to write about.