Raye took to the stage for a performance at the 2026 MTV VMAs in Los Angeles on Sunday in a glamorous red dress completed with her signature on-stage footwear look — which is actually no footwear at all.
Raye often brings dramatic retro looks to the stage with old Hollywood-style dresses. For her performance on Sunday, which highlighted her hit “Where Is My Husband!”, she wore a long sleeve lacy red dress with a high skirt slit and feathery embellishment. She went without shoes, which is her go-to choice when performing on stage.
The English singer-songwriter opened up about the fashion choice during an interview on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” in 2025.
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“I actually hate feet. I think feet are so gross and I always have my feet out,” Raye said. “I really don’t like feet at all. However, I like feeling rooted on the ground. Do you ever find that when you’re in heels, you’re thinking about it?…You shouldn’t [have to think about it] especially when you’re singing. Instead of thinking about what choices I want to make with the notes I’m singing, I’m thinking about my heels and my shoes and it’s just not nice, so I like the shoeless vibe.”
Shakira is another star known to eschew shoes for her performances. There’s also a barefoot footwear trend happening in fashion right now, with examples ranging from Doechii attending this year’s Met Gala barefoot to Chanel putting out an ultra-minimalist sandal which is essentially a heel cap and ankle straps — which Margaret Qualley has embraced.
On the red carpet prior to her performance, Raye wore a semi-sheer embellished Georges Hobeika fall 2026 dress with icy silvery-blue satin pumps.
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards returned to Los Angeles on Sunday at the Peacock Theater, marking the show’s first West Coast edition since 2017. Snoop Dogg hosts the ceremony, which airs live on CBS and MTV and streams on Paramount+. Madonna, this year’s most-nominated artist, is set to open the show, while Nirvana will receive the Video Vanguard Award and Taylor Swift will be honored with MTV’s inaugural Artist Director Honors.
