Raye performs barefoot at the 2026 VMAs for an unexpected reason

Raye just performed at the 2026 MTV VMA Awards - and everyone has been left with the same question.

The 28-year-old British singer-songwriter dazzled in a roof-raising performance of her hit single, 'Where Is My Husband!' as well as 'I Will Overcome' at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday (27 September).

She wore a stunning red dress as she belted out the track and, surprisingly, went completely barefoot, leaving viewers confused.

Taking to X, one person penned: "Not raye being barefoot #vmas" while a second questioned: "I don’t get why @raye always performs barefoot. It gives her throat powers? #VMAs."

A third added: "Not Raye performing barefoot at the VMAs, I love her," alongside a slew of laughing emojis.

While a fourth gushed: "One thing about Raye, she gon give you a real good performance barefooted EVERYTIME."

A fifth added: "One thing about Raye, she’s never gonna have shoes on," and a sixth joked: "RAYE wouldn’t wear a shoe to even save her newborn."

Raye just performed barefoot at the VMAs (Rich Polk/Getty Images)

A seventh quipped: "One thing about RAYE, she will be comfortable on stage. Barefoot and all. #VMAs."

And an eighth wrote: "@raye must be so comfy rn with no shoes on #vmas."

She's performed barefoot at not only at the VMAs, but also at the Grammys, BRITs, and festivals like Glastonbury, Reading, and Coachella.

And as it turns out, the singer has a pretty interesting reason for the unique choice.

In a Rolling Stone interview from October 2024, she explained: "I feel like when I’m wearing shoes, I’m thinking about wearing shoes. Is that weird?"

And last summer, she addressed the situation again and joked on TikTok: "My stylist still hopes I'll wear shoes on stage one day, bless her."

Raye's incredible performance follows the Queen of Pop, Madonna, who opened the show with Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX, returning to the VMAs stage for the first time since her infamous 2003 Britney Spears kiss.

The singer previously revealed why she opts to go shoe-free on stage (Rich Polk/Getty Images)

Other stars performing include LISA, GENER8ION, Yung Lean, Sombr, Teddy Swims, Shaboozey, Gunna, and Sienna Spiro.

This year's VMA Awards are taking place at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles and are being hosted by Snoop Dogg.

Raye's performance was her first at the iconic music awards ceremony, and she sang alongside a six-piece string section and more than a dozen more musicians.

Gushing over her impressive vocals, fans penned on social media: "RAYE is such an amazing performer! I always look forward to her performances! She’s a star and her mic is ALWAYS on! #VMAs" and "Truth. Every since I saw her perform. She is truly unique."

A third penned: "And yes raye did deliver the performance of the night, and yes about 20 others haven't performed, and yes, I stand by my statement #VMAs."