READING, England: RAYE performed “The WhatsApp Shakespeare” live for the first time on August 29 during her debut headline set at Reading Festival 2026.
The British singer-songwriter topped The Grid stage at Little John’s Farm after Dave’s co-headlining performance. Reading Festival’s official lineup confirms RAYE appeared on The Grid on Saturday.
RAYE opened with her 2022 hit “Escapism” before performing “The WhatsApp Shakespeare.” Her set also included “Beware… The South London Lover Boy,” “Skin & Bones,” “Winter Woman”, and “Oscar Winning Tears.”
“The WhatsApp Shakespeare” appears on RAYE’s second studio album, “THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.,” released on March 27 through Human Re Sources. Spotify lists the track as the fourth song on the 17-track album.
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The song had recently crossed 20 million Spotify streams. However, a publicly accessible Spotify page does not display a current stream total.
Later in the set, RAYE brought out her sisters Amma and Absolutely for “Joy.” She then closed the show with “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” while performing with a full band, horns and strings.
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The performance marked RAYE’s first Reading headline appearance. She previously played the festival in 2024.
British singer-songwriter RAYE performed “The WhatsApp Shakespeare” live for the first time during her debut Reading Festival headline set on August 29.
