Raye performs at Fox Theater in Oakland on Nov. 3, 2023. Onome Uyovbievbo/STAFF.

OAKLAND — London singer-songwriter Raye brought throwback vibes to her My 21st Century Blues tour stop at Fox Theater on Friday.

The artist, who’s penned songs for the likes of Beyonce, Madison Beer and Elle Goulding, kicked the show off with “Oscar Winning Tears,” from this year’s debut album, My 21st Century Blues. The stage was arranged like a bandstand. Rachel Agatha Keen, 26, was comfortable at center stage. Throwing out her arms to punctuate her lyrics, she sometimes seemed to embrace the audience.

Raye performs at Fox Theater in Oakland on Nov. 3, 2023.

“Thank you for giving a shit about me! Thank you for loving my music…the sight before my eyes is really something to behold,” Raye said after scatting her way out of her opening song. She then said the theme for the evening would be honesty and and explained that she was worried about having a wardrobe malfunction from not wearing certain undergarments under her top.

“I would love to ask you a favor: If anything pops out, please hold a bitch down. Keep it for your personal archives,” she said.

Raye picked up the pace with the next song, “Hard Out Here,” wiggling along in her constricting corset.

“Oakland, I’d like to give you some advice. Don’t wear a corset this tight,” she said afterward, before continuing: “And second piece of advice, don’t date a rapper.”

Raye performs at Fox Theater in Oakland on Nov. 3, 2023.

Raye reportedly dated Drake before.

On “The Thrill Is Gone,” her South London accent came through strong as she spit out the words in rapid-fire succession before powerfully singing the chorus. The performance was dynamic. Slowing down the pace to a swing-style groove over the bridge, she picked it up again to close out the song in a peppy, retro-pop style. A brass section that included a trumpeter and saxophonist hit a snappy duet before the band paused completely, allowing the singer space for an extended a capella scat—before ending with a massive flourish.

She spoke about growing up in South London before “Five-Star Hotels” before the trumpeter kicked into single “Ice Cream Man” with a solo.

“How dare you!” she joked with him before joining in for a stripped-down version of the song accompanied only by a guitarist. She then introduced “Environmental Anxiety” as “the saddest song I’ve ever had to write.”

Sitting down at a keyboard, she performed some snippets of older songs, including “Change Your Mind.” A cover of Jax Jones’ “You Don’t Know Me,” “Secrets,” “Black Mascara,” “Worth It” and “Buss It Down” followed in quick succession.

Absolutely (Abby Keen) performs at Fox Theater in Oakland on Nov. 3, 2023.

Before departing the stage, she instructed the audience to applaud her back to the stage. When she did return, it was for her best-known song, “Escapism.”

The show’s opening act was Absolutely—Raye’s younger sister, Abby Keen. The 19-year-old explained that this was her first tour and, though she was shy and an introvert, she was trying to change that. Her timid speaking voice starkly contrasted her amazingly clear and beautiful singing. She performed songs from an upcoming album, which included “Daylight,” “Fever Dream,” “M.I.A.” and “Close to You.”

Follow Mel Bowman at Twitter.com/melmichel and Instagram.com/coco_michel_coco. Follow photographer Onome Uyovbievbo at Twitter.com/byonome and Instagram.com/by.onome.