Raye has been crowned the winner of the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second studio album, This Music May Contain Hope. The accolade, which celebrates the best British or Irish album as determined by a panel of industry experts, includes a £25,000 cash award.
The winning record is a 73-minute, genre-spanning project that incorporates funk, power balladry, and big-band jazz. This victory underscores a dramatic comeback for the 28-year-old London native, who spent years in professional stagnation after being prevented from releasing a studio album by her former label. Since parting ways with that label in 2021, Raye has achieved massive success, including a record-breaking six Brit Awards for her debut, My 21st Century Blues. Power balladry, funk and more – caps an ongoing renaissance for a British singer who at one point was in the doldrums, lashing out publicly at her record label for not letting her release a studio album, her win – for a hugely ambitious 73-minute record that spanned big band jazz. Born Rachel Keen in west London, who started out by shuttling between genres and netting hits as a guest vocalist on pop-dance singles before finally being able to let her stylistic diversity shine on her album projects, it adds to a strange and heartening career for the 28-year-old singer. Saying: “Albums are so important, and not to be bitter – because I feel like I’m mostly at peace with my past – but to come from a place where it’s all about singles and chasing the next thing, I just feel so grateful to be recognised.”, she alluded to her difficult years with her former label. Suede, who opened the ceremony by performing their stridently pro-European anthem Dancing With the Europeans, weren’t able to add a second Mercury win to their trophy cabinet, after winning for their self-titled debut in. Especially for us British people, we don’t do that deep stuff like that, but hope is something we all need … so I hope that message comes across to anyone who needs it.”, she also talked about the central topic on the album: “Hope is a very cheesy word. And this year representing the all-star compilation album Help, created to raise funds for the charity War Child, pulp – the winners in 1996 – performed for the second year in a row: last year for their nominated album More.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, which was hosted at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, an emotional Raye expressed her gratitude, noting how transformative it felt to be recognized after a period focused purely on chasing single-track success. She also highlighted the album’s central theme of hope, describing it as a necessary, if often overlooked, sentiment in British culture. Accepting the award at the ceremony in Newcastle, Raye said: “I cannot tell you how grateful I am to be holding this. I’m shaking, I’m jet-lagged, I’m tired, I’m grateful!”.
The judging panel praised the artist for her artistic imagination and the scale of her work. While acknowledging that the album had its detractors—Guardian pop critic Alexis Petridis noted that while there are flaws, it succeeds more often than it falters—the judges ultimately celebrated its structure and charm. Going beyond any one style or genre to realise her vision, the judging panel said: “Raye displays real imagination and scope in showing what an album can be. The judges agreed that Raye’s superb album will serve as a huge inspiration for years to come.”.
The album was anchored by the success of the lead single, Where Is My Husband!, which reached No 1 on the UK charts and No 6 in the US. The song, noted for its witty lyrics regarding romantic frustrations, sits alongside more vulnerable tracks, including those detailing her past experiences with sexual assault by a music producer. Reaching No 1 in the UK, No 6 in the US and delighting audiences globally with Raye’s witty rat-a-tat-tat delivery as she expressed her frustration at her romantic failures including “lonely acrobatics, unzipping my dress at 2am”, where Is My Husband! proved to be a powerhouse lead single. According to in a video message, he, He was “chuffed” and “surprised” to be nominated on a shortlist alongside “such a group of really amazing artists”.
The evening saw several notable contenders miss out on the top prize. Paul McCartney was nominated for the first time for his album The Boys of Dungeon Lane, though he did not attend the event. Similarly, Dave, a previous winner for Psychodrama in 2019, was absent from the stage. Suede, winners in 1993, also failed to secure a second trophy, as did Newcastle jazz act Knats.
Florence + the Machine have now tied with Radiohead for the most nominations without a Mercury win, totaling five unsuccessful bids. Other notable competition included Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving, an album that maintained a presence in the UK Top 10 for all 55 weeks since its release.
The ceremony reflected the prize’s recent strategic shift, having moved from London to Newcastle in 2025. The Mercury prize has repositioned itself, moving away from London to Newcastle in 2025 and scaling up in size to the city’s Utilita Arena, after losing its sponsor in 2024 and taking place in a rather low-key ceremony.
Despite the growth in scale, the event has faced criticism regarding its increasing commercial focus. Observers have noted that the shortlist is becoming less distinct from the Brit Awards, with eight of this year’s nominees reaching either the top spot or the Top 3 on the charts. Additionally, most of the shortlisted albums were produced in partnership with major record labels, fueling concerns that independent music is receiving less representation than in years past. In 2025, seven of the 12 nominated albums reached the UK Top 3, while this year six of the nominations reached No 1, and another two were Top 3 hits.
The 2026 judging panel, chaired by Jeff Smith, included figures such as Jamie Cullum, Afrodeutsche, and MistaJam, who were tasked with selecting the winner from a highly successful field of nominees.
