All Points East 2025: Raye, FKA Twigs and Jade
Victoria Park has shut down once more for the iconic All Points East festival. Star-studded lineups take to a plethora of stages around the once green grass for the last two weeks of August, lighting up East London with every musical genre under the sun. Last night’s headliner was Raye, an artist whose versatility astounds and whose well-earned flowers have finally bloomed after a decade of grinding. Other acts included Jade, Tyla, Nao and FKA Twigs.
The turnout for Jade’s set would be unbelievable for anyone unfamiliar with her game. With excited watchers reaching all the way back to the Ferris wheel, it’s unsurprising that Thirlwall herself admitted she was beyond humbled by the number of people who had shown up for her. But Jade’s talent is well-documented throughout her time in Little Mix, and the beginnings of her solo career have been promising. She opens with the feisty It Girl, before a mashup of Midnight Cowboy and Little Mix hit Wasabi. It’s fun and it’s fresh and the crowd are eating it up. Angel of My Dreams, the roaring synth-pop ballad-esque megahit, reminds us that Jade deserves an audience this big.
FKA Twigs stepped in after fans were left devastated that Doechii dropped out with just a week to go. It seems blissful timing for Twigs and her crew, though, as it meant she could finish her Eusexua tour in her hometown. Her set was anything but last-minute. Polished but expressive, slick but free, Twigs and her dancers are completely on form, and the throng moves between banging their heads and staring in awe at the effortlessness with which they perform; it was performance art. There’s the gothic electronic of Drums of Death, the chanting R’n’B of oh my love, and the melodic so-cal beats of papi bones. Her vocals are delicate but unbreakable and shine bright in the acclaimed and heartbreaking cellophane.
The main event: Raye. Before she even arrives, a statement has been made. Nearly 30 people stand waiting onstage, including the Flames Collective and an extensive band. It’s teeming with musical talent, and Victoria Park is already bustling with anticipation. The moment she walks on is magical for both her and us. In her signature bare feet and a 1950s style pink satin gown, she bounds on.
Oscar Winning Tears announces the show’s start, and the band behind her are already in full force. Raye is a self-professed jazz fan and is not ashamed to show it, with nearly every song experiencing a twist. It makes the live versions feel original. Some may say that changing the endings too many times makes it harder to sing along and thus less enjoyable, but others bask in how one-of-a-kind it feels. It’s certainly impressive to hear tracks like Decline, Bed, and You Don’t Know Me transition from radio-pop to expressive blues.
Vocally, Raye cuts no corners – the frills in her voice are dripped in gold. With ease, she reaches the highest heights and the lowest lows, scatting playfully, belting beautifully, harmonising with a tone that tells stories without words. The incredibly vulnerable Ice Cream Man is evidence of this, her voice running freely and adding lyrics that feel right in the moment.
In a dazzling finish, Raye turns the park into a nightclub, amping up the decibels with Secrets, Black Mascara, and Prada: the fans go berserk. “Music is medicine,” she reminds us, and it’s never been clearer than in this moment. As she thanks us again and again, it’s clear that this is an artist who is proud to be where they are, and doesn’t take a second of it for granted.
Talitha Stowell
Photos: Ambra Vernuccio
For further information and future events, visit Raye’s website here.
Watch the video for Genesis here:
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