Oscars 2025: Raye’s Skyfall tribute to James Bond stirs controversy among fans

The 97th Academy Awards added a musical touch with a grand tribute to James Bond. On Sunday night, the Oscars featured a four-part tribute to the iconic franchise, with four musical superstars performing on stage. While most performances were well-received, singer Raye's rendition of Skyfall sparked mixed reactions online.

The musical tribute to James Bond at the Oscars kicked off with Margaret Qualley and dancers, followed by Blackpink’s Lisa performing Live and Let Die, Doja Cat singing Diamonds Are Forever, and Raye delivering Skyfall. As Raye took the stage, Twitter (now X) exploded with reactions, with some praising her performance, but many others expressing criticism.

One tweet read, “I’m sorry but only Adele can really sing Skyfall the way it should be sung #Oscars2025.” Another person tweeted, “If they were really serious about this James Bond moment, they would’ve got Adele’s ass from her house down the street to perform Skyfall!" Someone else shared a meme of Adele looking disappointed, linking it to Raye’s performance. On Instagram, a comment said, “This is so random and uneven.”

There was also some praise for Raye. One fan wrote, “Raye singing Skyfall yeah, that was beautiful. Her voice is so perfect, my god #Oscars.” Another added, “Raye performing Skyfall—she never misses. Oh my God!”

The tribute follows a significant shakeup in the film industry: In late February, the longtime custodians of the James Bond movies handed over creative control to Amazon MGM. Amazon acquired MGM Studios in 2022 for $6.1 billion, largely driven by the desire to own one of the most beloved and long-running movie franchises.

The 97th Academy Awards is streaming live on JioHotstar in India.

Also Read : Oscars 2025: Ben Stiller pays heartfelt tribute to Gene Hackman; says, “He was the epitome of authenticity, charisma, and honesty”