Raye wins 2026 Mercury Prize for This Music May Contain Hope
The singer received the award at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on 22 October, taking the £25,000 prize for her second album.
Raye won the 2026 Mercury Prize with This Music May Contain Hope at a ceremony in Newcastle. The album was released in March, topped the UK chart and includes the single Where Is My Husband!
Raye won the 2026 Mercury Prize for This Music May Contain Hope.
Award presented in Newcastle
Raye won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second studio album, This Music May Contain Hope. The result was announced at the awards ceremony at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on 22 October, where she received the trophy.
The prize is awarded to an album by an artist from the UK or Ireland and carries £25,000 in prize money. Raye’s win follows Sam Fender’s victory the previous year.
An expansive second album
Released in March, This Music May Contain Hope went straight to number one in the UK album chart. Its tracklist includes the single Where Is My Husband!, and the record moves across styles including jazz, soul, R&B and classical music.
The album is arranged in four sections, according to the prize announcement. Its judges praised its scale, structure and ambition, describing a work that moves between genres rather than settling on one musical style.
Performance and acceptance
Raye performed I Hate The Way I Look Today during the ceremony. In her acceptance speech, she spoke about the importance of making albums and said that hope is something everyone needs, adding that “music is medicine”.
The 2026 shortlist contained 12 albums, with the final decision made by the judging team on the night. The panel was chaired by Jeff Smith.
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Further reading
Selected background resources to explain the context and concepts behind this story.
Understand the professional background and career trajectory of the artist Raye.
RAYE Wiki | Fandom
This resource provides a biographical overview of Raye, including her birth name and early career milestones, which helps contextualize her achievement in winning the Mercury Prize.
Learn about the musical background and discography of Sam Fender, a key figure in the UK music scene.
Sam Fender - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
As a prominent English artist mentioned in the context of the UK music industry, this reference offers stable biographical data and discographic information that aids in understanding the broader landscape of contemporary British music.
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This Music May Contain Hope
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