NRT briefing
Raye hits back at ticket touts who 'overwhelmed' sign-up for Albert Hall show
Based on reporting by BBC News.
The Brief
Raye has criticized ticket touts for using AI bots to create "hundreds of thousands of fake registrations" for her upcoming one-off show at the Royal Albert Hall on 23 October. The singer said there were 1.8 million sign-ups for the 5,000-seat performance, which she attributed to bots overwhelming the process.
To combat this, Raye said her team manually reviewed the sign-up list to identify "real fans," who will receive a pre-sale link and code by email on Tuesday. She added that remaining tickets would be available on general sale.
Raye said she had "never witnessed bots on this scale" and that the experience has "really opened my eyes" about the future of ticketing. The show, titled This Symphony May Contain Hope, will feature songs from her chart-topping second album, which explores themes of heartbreak and self-doubt.
Raye rose to prominence after leaving her label and releasing the viral hit "Escapism," followed by her debut album, which won a record-breaking six Brit Awards.