raye apologises after 65 fans turned away at Paris show amid ticketing error

Raye has apologised after dozens of fans were denied entry to her concert in Paris when a ticketing system error left their passes invalid. The singer described herself as “completely devastated” and has pledged complimentary tickets and signed vinyl to those affected, while the ticketing company said refunds and gift cards were issued to the impacted customers.

What happened at the Paris concert

On Sunday night ET, about 65 ticket holders arrived at the arena only to be turned away after scans marked their tickets invalid. The issue emerged during the event that closed the European leg of the artist’s current tour; the venue was sold out and the show went ahead for ticket holders who were able to enter.

Venue staff redirected fans who could not get in to an on-site ticketing point. Those fans waited in line for extended periods but were ultimately unable to gain access. The ticketing company acknowledged a technical problem that affected a small number of purchases, and said those impacted had been refunded and given gift cards.

Some attendees say the faulty tickets came from an official pre-sale and that they received confirmation emails and purchase receipts. Reports from the scene described frustration and confusion among fans who had followed the pre-sale rules and believed they held legitimate seats. Witnesses also said there were no spare seats available in the sold-out arena, leaving those turned away without recourse on the night.

Raye’s reaction and remedies for fans

The artist posted that she was “completely devastated” for the fans denied entry and called the situation “completely unacceptable and wrong. ” She said the problem stemmed from a system error that prevented some tickets from being fully validated at the point of purchase.

To try to make amends, she offered complimentary tickets to any future show of the affected fans’ choice, along with signed vinyl. She acknowledged that these gestures would not fully make up for the experience but described them as an immediate attempt to soften the blow.

The ticketing provider reiterated that it treated the incident as a technical fault, offering full refunds and gift cards to those impacted. The company also noted the affected orders represented a very small fraction of total sales for the event.

Fan frustration and the broader ticketing debate

The incident has highlighted ongoing concerns about digital ticketing reliability during high-demand pre-sales and the consequences for fans who follow official processes. Accounts from those turned away emphasise the emotional toll of missing a once-in-a-lifetime concert despite having paid and received confirmations.

For the artist, the disruption will be an unwelcome coda to the European run; the tour is scheduled to continue through the UK, Ireland, the United States and Canada until May 20 (ET). The singer has previously achieved notable chart success and entered the current run of dates following award recognition and high-profile singles.

Industry observers say incidents like this can prompt renewed scrutiny of ticketing infrastructures and pre-sale practices, particularly around how platforms validate large batches of purchases in a compressed timeframe. For now, affected fans await direct contact about the complimentary offers and signed items the artist has promised, while the ticketing company says it has taken steps to refund and compensate those left out in the cold.