RAYE Wins 2026 Mercury Prize for ‘This Music May Contain Hope’
RAYE has won the prestigious Mercury Prize for her album "This Music May Contain Hope," marking her first victory for the esteemed UK and Ireland music award. The ceremony, held on October 22, celebrated artistic achievement across a diverse shortlist of nominees. Her win makes her the first female solo artist to receive the accolade since 2022.
British singer-songwriter RAYE has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second studio album, This Music May Contain Hope, at a ceremony held on Thursday, October 22, at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, England. The victory marks her first win at the annual awards, following her 2023 shortlist appearance with My 21st Century Blues, which lost to Ezra Collective’s Where I’m Meant to Be. RAYE’s winning album was praised by judges for its musical range, ambition and storytelling, blending jazz, soul, R&B and classical influences across four sections.
The award recognises outstanding albums by artists from the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the winner receiving £25,000. RAYE emerged from a 12-album shortlist that included Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving, Paul McCartney’s The Boys of Dungeon Lane, Dave’s The Boy Who Played the Harp and Florence + The Machine’s Everybody Scream.
Other nominees were Dove Ellis with Blizzard, JADE with THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!, Knats with A Great Day In Newcastle, Kojey Radical with Don’t Look Down, Nia Archives with Emotional Junglist, Suede with Antidepressants and the War Child compilation HELP(2). McCartney received his first Mercury Prize nomination, while RAYE returned to the shortlist after her previous nomination in 2023. Hosted by Lauren Laverne, the ceremony featured performances from several shortlisted artists, including RAYE, who performed I Hate The Way I Look Today from her winning album.
Established in 1992, the Mercury Prize celebrates artistic achievement across contemporary British and Irish music, with albums assessed by an independent judging panel rather than solely on commercial performance. The 2026 panel was chaired by Jeff Smith, head of music for BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music, and included musicians, broadcasters, journalists and other music-industry professionals. Previous winners include Primal Scream, Pulp, PJ Harvey, Arctic Monkeys, Little Simz and Ezra Collective, while Sam Fender won the 2025 prize for People Watching.
RAYE’s victory adds This Music May Contain Hope to the award’s list of recognised albums and follows the commercial success of her second record, which reached number one on the UK albums chart after its release in March 2026.