RAYE wins 2026 Mercury Prize for 'This Music May Contain Hope'

RAYE has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second album, This Music May Contain Hope, at a ceremony at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle upon Tyne on Thursday evening, hosted by BBC Radio 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne.

The south London singer — real name Rachel Agatha Keen — beat 11 other nominees, including Olivia Dean, Paul McCartney (earning his first-ever Mercury nomination), Suede, Dave, Florence + The Machine, JADE, Nia Archives, Kojey Radical, Dove Ellis, Knats, and the War Child Help(2) compilation.

Judges praised “the scale, structure, ambition, and sheer charm” of the record, which also carries a £25,000 prize.

On stage, RAYE called hope “a very cheesy word — especially for us British people,” adding: “But hope is just something that we all need, and I think music is that… music is medicine.” She also told the crowd: “I’m shaking, I’m jetlagged, I’m tired, I’m grateful, it’s all blurry.” She performed “I Hate The Way I Look Today” at the ceremony.

The 28-year-old, from Tooting, previously won a record six Brit Awards in 2024 and a Grammy in January 2026. She is the first female solo artist to win the Mercury Prize since Little Simz in 2022. Last year’s winner was Sam Fender for People Watching.

Sources:

• https://www.nme.com/news/music/mercury-prize-2026-winner-announced-raye-speech-performance-watch-3973848
• https://qa.philstar.com/entertainment/music/2026/10/23/2565192/raye-wins-mercury-prize-second-album
• https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2026/10/23/uk-singer-songwriter-raye-wins-mercury-prize-for-second-album
• https://stereogum.com/2515373/raye-wins-2026-mercury-prize/news/
• https://www.blacknews.uk/raye-wins-2026-mercury-prize-with-this-music-may-containhope