RAYE has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second studio album, This Music May Contain Hope, beating a shortlist featuring Sir Paul McCartney, Olivia Dean, Suede and Dave. The singer collected the £25,000 award at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on Thursday 22 October 2026.
The win recognises an ambitious 17-track record that runs for approximately 73 minutes, moving between orchestral pop, jazz, soul and funk. Released in March, the album explores heartbreak, recovery and the search for hope through cinematic arrangements and a narrative divided into four sections inspired by the seasons.
RAYE celebrates Mercury Prize victory
Accepting the award in Newcastle, RAYE expressed her gratitude for the recognition.
“I couldn’t tell you how grateful I am to be holding this.”
The singer also performed I Hate The Way I Look Today at the ceremony, accompanied by a full big band.
The 2026 Mercury Prize shortlist brought together established names and emerging artists from across British and Irish music. RAYE’s victory follows her previous nomination for My 21st Century Blues, her 2023 debut solo album, which lost out to Ezra Collective.
Inside This Music May Contain Hope
This Music May Contain Hope builds its story around emotional upheaval and the process of finding confidence again. Rather than sticking to one musical style, RAYE moves between sweeping orchestral passages, big-band arrangements and contemporary pop, giving the album a theatrical scale.
The record features the hit Where Is My Husband?, alongside contributions from soul legend Al Green and appearances by members of RAYE’s family. Its elaborate production involved four orchestras and more than 100 musicians.
A review of the album by Variety highlighted its length, range and demand for listeners’ attention:
“Suffice it to say, the album does not lack for ambition: Divided into four sections based on the seasons, it sprawls across a surprisingly fast-moving 70 minutes, 17 songs and nearly as many styles.”
The review also noted the risks involved in such an expansive approach, describing the record as one that “basically demands your attention”.
It concluded:
“But as artists from Queen to Beyoncé have proven, ambition and excess can be glorious things when deployed with intelligence and humor, and while we’re not equating Raye with either of the above, there’s a similar sense here of trusting the artist to take you on an interesting voyage without wasting your time.”
A competitive Mercury Prize shortlist
RAYE prevailed over 11 other shortlisted albums, including Paul McCartney’s The Boys of Dungeon Lane, Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving and Dave’s The Boy Who Played the Harp.
The complete 2026 shortlist was:
- Dave – The Boy Who Played the Harp
- Dove Ellis – Blizzard
- Florence + The Machine – Everybody Scream
- JADE – That’s Showbiz Baby!
- Knats – A Great Day In Newcastle
- Kojey Radical – Don’t Look Down
- Nia Archives – Emotional Junglist
- Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
- Paul McCartney – The Boys of Dungeon Lane
- RAYE – This Music May Contain Hope
- Suede – Antidepressants
- War Child Records – HELP(2)
JADE’s nomination for That’s Showbiz Baby! added another milestone to her career, while the inclusion of HELP(2) recognised a charity compilation featuring contributions from multiple artists.
Suede, Pulp and other artists perform at the ceremony
The Newcastle ceremony also featured performances from several shortlisted artists. Suede, Florence + The Machine, Olivia Dean, JADE, Nia Archives, Knats, Kojey Radical and Dove Ellis were among those taking to the stage.
Pulp performed on behalf of HELP(2), while short films celebrated the nominated albums by Dave and Paul McCartney.
The event was held at Utilita Arena Newcastle, with the city hosting the Mercury Prize for the second consecutive year. The annual award celebrates outstanding albums by British and Irish artists across a broad range of musical styles.
Another major achievement for RAYE
The Mercury Prize adds another significant accolade to RAYE’s career, following the success of My 21st Century Blues and her record-breaking night at the 2024 BRIT Awards, where she won six awards.
With This Music May Contain Hope, she has delivered a large-scale album that places storytelling, musical experimentation and elaborate arrangements at its centre. Its Mercury Prize victory gives the singer further recognition for a project built around the idea of finding light through difficult times.
