Brief
Raye says AI bots flooded ticket sign‑up for Royal Albert Hall show
The pop star received 1.8 million sign‑ups for a 5,000‑seat show and will manually verify fans before releasing presale codes.
By Felo News Desk · Published
British pop singer RAYE said on Instagram that AI‑driven bots and scalpers generated "hundreds of thousands of fake registrations" during the presale for her one‑night concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
The venue, which holds 5,000 people, is scheduled for Oct. 23. RAYE’s team recorded 1.8 million sign‑ups for the limited seats, far exceeding capacity. In response, the artist announced that the team would manually review the list to identify genuine fans.
According to the Instagram post dated Oct. 13, selected fans would receive a presale link and code by email at 11:45 a.m. BST that day, with the first sale starting at midday. Remaining tickets are set to go on general sale later in the week.
RAYE expressed frustration, saying she had never witnessed bots on such a scale and emphasized the importance of fans buying tickets at face value. She added that the experience has opened her eyes and that she and her team will consider future ticketing measures.
The concert will feature a re‑imagined version of her LP "This Music May Contain Hope" performed with the Heritage Orchestra. The album is nominated for the Mercury Prize, with the ceremony slated for Oct. 22 in Newcastle, the day before the show.
Key facts
- RAYE received 1.8 million sign‑ups for a 5,000‑seat Royal Albert Hall concert. (billboard.com)
- The concert is scheduled for Oct. 23 at the Royal Albert Hall. (billboard.com)
- RAYE’s team will manually review registrations to identify real fans. (billboard.com)
- Selected fans were to receive presale links by 11:45 a.m. BST on Oct. 13. (billboard.com)
- "This Music May Contain Hope" is nominated for the Mercury Prize. (billboard.com)
Sources
- [1] billboard.com — originally reported as “RAYE Blames ‘AI Bots’ After Presale For Intimate London Show Clocks 1. 8 Million Sign-Ups: ‘This Experience Has Really Opened My Eyes’”
