RAYE’s album This Music May Contain Hope has won the 2026 Mercury Prize, marking another feather in the cap of one of the UK’s brightest new stars.
The jazz and blues-influenced pop artist beat artists including soul singer Olivia Dean, rapper Dave, former Little Mix singer turned solo artist JADE, and Florence and the Machine.
The “Where Is My Husband!” artist born Rachel Keen also beat Sir Paul McCartney, who was shortlisted for the first time, aged 84, with his nostalgia-steeped record, The Boys of Dungeon Lane.
RAYE’s triumph signalled a rare win for a pop album, albeit one loaded with jazz, soul and R&B influences and a Hans Zimmer collaboration, as the Mercury Prize – which comes with a £25,000 cash prize – has typically favoured rock, indie, hip-hop or electronic music.
The judging team said in a statement: “While the 12 albums shortlisted for 2026 Mercury Prize were wildly different, each one demonstrated how the album continues to be the ideal format for an artist or group wishing to get their artistic statement out into the world.
“We believe the album continues to have an important role to play in music in the age of streaming, which is why the judges felt the scale, structure, ambition and sheer charm of this year’s winner was the right choice for the 2026 Mercury Prize ‘Album of the Year’.”
The judges praised This Music May Contain Hope for exploring myriad genres and for combining old-school Hollywood glamour with kitchen sink realism to tell “a story about a young woman navigating the everyday trials of life and love, on an album that is joyous and indeed hopeful”.
“RAYE displays real imagination and scope in showing what an album can be, going beyond any one style or genre to realise her vision,” the statement concluded. “The judges agreed that RAYE’S’s superb album will serve as a huge inspiration for years to come.”
In a five-star review, The Independent praised RAYE for her artistic evolution, for her storytelling and for the album’s ambitious sound.
“Her appetite for the heart-on-sleeve razzle dazzle of it all is glorious,” the review said. “This Music May Contain Hope is a pure audio spectacle that will have you screaming for an encore.”
RAYE has successfully overcome a series of personal and professional hurdles to become one of the UK’s most successful and admired musical exports.
After parting ways with her record label after accusing them of refusing to let her release an album, she released her debut, My 21st Century Blues, as an independent artist, debuting at Number Two on the charts and sweeping the 2024 Brit Awards with a record-breaking six wins.
From a Grammy Award to a triumphant 2024 performance at Glastonbury Festival and a triumphant arena tour this year, RAYE has seen her career go from strength to strength.
She is next set to headline a special one-off show at the Royal Albert Hall in London, on Friday 23 October. The live concert, titled This Symphony May Contain Hope, will see her play her second album in full, reimagining each song with the Heritage Orchestra and Flames Collective.
The prize was announced at a ceremony hosted by BBC Radio presenter Lauren Laverne at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle – this was the second year the ceremony has take place in the city, after it relocated from London for the first time in 2025.
Many of this year’s shortlisted artists also performed live at the ceremony, including RAYE, Dean, JADE, Suede and the jazz band Knats, who hail from Newcastle.
Last year’s award went to rock singer-songwriter Sam Fender and his chart-topping third album People Watching – beating records by Fontaines DC, Wolf Alice, CMAT and Pulp.
While it is unlikely anyone would begrudge RAYE her win, there has been concern voiced in recent years that the award has grown too commercial, populating its shortlists with major acts rather than newer, up-and-coming artists who might welcome the exposure.
This year’s judging panel included musicians, journalists and broadcasters including Mistajam, Jamie Cullum, Lea Stonhill, Sian Eleri, Phil Alexander, Will Hodgkinson, Afrodeutsche, Sophie Williams and Daniella Perry, with Jeff Smith as chair.
Among the previous Mercury Prize winners are Michael Kiwanuka, Little Simz, Wolf Alice, Skepta, PJ Harvey, Elbow and Arctic Monkeys.
Read MoreRaye forced to check ‘thousands’ of ticket registrations to tackle AI bots
Fontaines DC’s fifth album Dopamine Chamber is a masterpiece – review
RAYE condemns scalpers who ‘overwhelmed’ sign-up for Royal Albert Hall show
Country music legend dies aged 71
Third pop star cancels concerts in matter of days to avoid 'further voice damage'
Fontaines DC vow to ban AI after Marianne controversy: 'None of us were told'
