All links to Rayes music, merch and tour dates will be listed below the article.

We got the chance to cover Raye Zaragoza during her tour stop in Raleigh NC on 12/13 at the Lincoln Theater opening for NC’s very own Delta Rae. This is not the first I got to cover Rayes set or even talk with Raye. F28 had interviewed Raye a few years ago during her tour stop in Raleigh NC at the Red Hat amptheater. So, I was very excited to be covering this talent singer songwriter again. Raye Zaragoza burst onto the music scene with a powerful song called “In the River” which was written as a response to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline on the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. The song gained huge traction and received national media coverage and won her a Global Music Award and an Honesty Oscar. Even though Raye is known for some of her powerful protest songs she is much more than that.

I sat down and talked with Raye a few years ago and I asked her about her writing style and her creative flow, and she said:

“I embrace being showcased as a protest songwriter or as a political writer. I think that’s great because so many artists I’ve looked up to my whole life have also been pegged as political or protest song writers like Bob Dylan and Joan Biaz. I really look up to them but while I do really appreciate it and like it, it is definitely not all I have to offer. I also write songs about everything like love songs, something happy and not everything is a political commentary. It does mean a lot to me that those songs have gotten the most attention and that people have said very kind things about”

— Raye Zaragoza

Though Rayes song “In the river” brought her into the spotlight one of her most powerful songs to me at least is called “American Dream”. This song really expresses a lot of emotions and thoughts many people in the USA have. It is beautifully written, composed and sang with such honesty that the song really does make you feel and reflect on what is going on in our current climate. Another song that I love from Raye is “Fight for you” which is another one of her songs that showcases her incredible writing skills and lyrical poetry. Ray Zaragoza really is to me one of the best singer songwriters out their today and will only grow as her art and creative writing blossom.

Now let’s talk about Rayes performance at the Lincoln theater. I do have to start by saying Raye is probably one of the funniest and most genuine story tellers. She likes to talk to the crowd and bring them into a piece of her life and wants them to be a part of the song she is about to perform. When she walked out onto the Lincoln Theater stage to a sold out crowd of 900+ people she illuminated this positive energy that you could feel spread across the venue effecting everyone. She had the crowd singing, laughing and really energized the electricity and tone of the venue. What is most amazing to me about her performance is that she did not have a backing band or anyone else on stage with her. She had herself, her guitar and her music and she still brought down the house. That is a huge testament to not only her talent and music but also to her as a person and a human being.

Raye Zaragaza is one of the best singer songwriters of her generation and she has such a bright future ahead of her. I look forward to hearing new music from her soon. She will be releasing her sophomore LP which was recorded with Tucker Martine in 2020. We will keep you updated on when that is released. I think Raye is an incredible singer and writer and look forward to seeing her on the tour circuit in the future! Go check out her music!

~ Lead Photographer Chris Sturk