Raye took the 2026 Mercury Prize in Newcastle, beating Paul McCartney, Olivia Dean and Florence + The Machine to win Album of the Year.
Raye has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second album, This Music May Contain Hope. The winner was announced on Thursday, October 22, at Newcastle's Utilita Arena, according to the prize organisers, and she followed it with a live performance of "I Hate The Way I Look Today" to a standing ovation.
It's her first win. Pitchfork notes that her 2023 debut, My 21st Century Blues, was also shortlisted but lost out to Ezra Collective.
A crowded shortlist
Twelve albums were up for the award. Stereogum lists the rest of the field as Dave's The Boy Who Played The Harp, Dove Ellis's Blizzard, Florence + The Machine's Everybody Scream, Jade's That's Showbiz, Baby!, Knats' A Great Day In Newcastle, Kojey Radical's Don't Look Down, Nia Archives' Emotional Junglist, Olivia Dean's The Art Of Loving, Paul McCartney's The Boys Of Dungeon Lane, Suede's Antidepressants and the War Child compilation Help(2).
Beating a field that included a Beatle and two of the year's biggest British pop names is not a small thing. Stereogum adds that the prize carries £25,000.
What the judges said
The judging panel pointed to "the scale, structure, ambition and sheer charm" of the record. The Mercury Prize's own announcement describes an album divided into four sections, with styles running from jazz and soul to R&B and classical, telling a story about a young woman working through everyday life and love. Judges called it joyous and hopeful, and said it would inspire artists for years.
The panel's statement also made a broader point. It said the shortlisted albums were very different from each other, yet all showed the album is still the right format for an artist's statement in the age of streaming.
Raye on hope
Pitchfork quotes her acceptance speech. Raye said she's mostly at peace with her past, but that coming from a place where everything is about singles and chasing the next thing, she felt grateful to be recognised for an album. She called hope a cheesy word, especially for British people, then said it's something everyone needs and that she hopes the message reaches anyone who needs it.
Several other nominees played on the night, per Pitchfork. Jade performed "Angel of My Dreams," Olivia Dean sang "Let Alone The One You Love," and Florence + The Machine played "One Of the Greats." Pulp appeared on behalf of Help(2), performing "Begging for Change."
Our read: the win suits a prize that likes to reward ambition over streaming numbers, and the judges' own wording suggests that was the point. Stereogum also notes that Raye is about to make her acting debut in Yann Demange's thriller Lineage, so the next year looks busy for her.
Picture credit: Mercury Prize
