RAYE Lights Up Montreux Jazz Festival’s 60th Anniversary with Alicia Keys and Mark Ronson Surprises

A Star-Studded Start in Switzerland

British pop sensation RAYE didn’t just open the 60th edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival—she turned it into a surprise-filled spectacle. The 28-year-old Brit Award winner commanded the stage at the Auditorium Stravinski in Montreux, Switzerland, bringing out two powerhouse guests: producer and DJ Mark Ronson and legendary singer-songwriter Alicia Keys. According to Screenshot (550).png, the one-night-only show was created exclusively for the festival, marking a historic moment for the 60-year-old event.

The Surprise Guests Steal the Show

For the first time ever, Alicia Keys joined RAYE live on stage. The duo performed Keys’ timeless hit “If I Ain’t Got You” and RAYE’s emotional track “Oscar Winning Tears,” a collaboration that sent chills through the audience. Screenshot (550).png notes that the performance marked their first live duet together. Meanwhile, Mark Ronson emerged for a high-energy rendition of the global smash “Uptown Funk” as well as his collaboration with RAYE, “Suzanne.” The chemistry was electric, blending generations of pop and soul.

A Tribute to Festival Legends

RAYE’s set was a masterclass in homage. She opened with “Who Knows Where the Time Goes,” a direct tribute to Nina Simone’s legendary Montreux performance exactly 50 years earlier on July 3, 1976. She also offered a fresh interpretation of “Summertime,” a classic associated with icons like Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, and Oscar Peterson. A James Brown medley kept the energy sky-high. Screenshot (550).png also highlights inventive mashups: “Nightingale Lane” segued into Prince’s “Purple Rain,” while “Skin and Bones” closed with a nod to Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady.” Each moment paid respect to the artists who have defined Montreux’s six-decade legacy.

Personal Milestones on a Global Stage

For RAYE, the night was deeply personal. Making her Montreux debut in 2024 was already a career highlight—she performed in front of her Swiss grandfather for the first time. Now returning in 2025, she headlined the Lake Stage and offered early glimpses of her sophomore album, This Music May Contain Hope. “Let me tell you, my first ever Montreux Jazz Festival was a moment in time no money can buy,” RAYE told the audience, as quoted in Screenshot (550).png. “My Swiss Grandad got to watch me perform live for the first time, at one of the greatest—if not the greatest—festival in the world.”

Montreux’s 60th: A Festival Like No Other

The Montreux Jazz Festival has hosted legends from Nina Simone and Prince to Aretha Franklin and James Brown. Screenshot (550).png emphasizes that RAYE’s performance was part of a milestone celebration that spans two weeks. Upcoming acts include Deep Purple, Van Morrison, Sting, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, James Taylor, Charles Lloyd, Zara Larsson, Joy Crookes, John Legend, and Lewis Capaldi. The festival continues to be a benchmark for live music excellence.

RAYE’s Rise and the Power of Surprise

With hits like “Escapism.” and a fiercely independent spirit, RAYE has become one of the most daring pop artists of her generation. Her ability to command a stage with surprise guests like Keys and Ronson only cements her reputation. Screenshot (550).png captures the drama of that night: a rotating stage beneath suspended fabric sails, a setlist that braided her own work with the greats, and a crowd witnessing music history. This is celebrity journalism at its most alive—raw, reverent, and unscripted.

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