The key facts
- Raye won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second album This Music May Contain Hope, receiving £25,000
- First pop album win since 1994 (M People — Elegant Slumming)
- Paul McCartney, at 84, made the shortlist for the first time; bookmakers' favourite was Olivia Dean
Raye's win at the 2026 Mercury Prize
British singer Raye (real name Rachel Agatha Keen, 28) has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second studio album This Music May Contain Hope. The ceremony took place on Thursday evening at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle — the award has been held there for the second year in a row. The winner receives £25,000 (about $33,500). According to the BBC, this is the first pop album win at the awards since 1994, when M People received the prize with the album Elegant Slumming.
The album and the jury's reaction
The album, released in March, immediately topped the UK chart and includes the hit Where Is My Husband?. Both of the singer's grandfathers and grandmothers took part in the recording, along with soul legend Al Green, four orchestras and more than 100 musicians; the 17 tracks, lasting 73 minutes, tell a cinematic story of a relationship ending on the rainy streets of Paris. The jury noted the album's 'scale, structure, ambition and charm' and its combination of 'old-fashioned Hollywood chic with everyday realism', calling the album 'celebratory and truly full of hope'. Raye herself said from the stage that she was 'shaking, she has jet lag, everything is a blur', and called music 'medicine', adding that 'hope is what everyone needs'.
Rivals and the shortlist
The shortlist of 12 works included Olivia Dean (The Art of Loving) — the bookmakers' favourite, previously named 'album of the year' at the Brit Awards and the Mobos — as well as Paul McCartney with The Boys of Dungeon Lane (his first nomination at 84), JADE, Florence + The Machine, Kojey Radical, Nia Archives, the Newcastle jazz collective Knats, Suede, Dave and the charity compilation Help (2) in aid of War Child featuring Olivia Rodrigo, Damon Albarn, Depeche Mode, The Last Dinner Party and others. McCartney and Dave were the only nominees absent from the ceremony; McCartney sent a video message, saying he was 'pleased' with the inclusion and had been 'a little surprised'. Raye, Dean and Pulp, featured on the Help (2) compilation, performed at the ceremony.
Context and history of the award
The Mercury Prize was established in 1992 as an alternative to the commercially oriented Brit Awards and is awarded for the best British or Irish album of the year. According to the BBC, 20 of the 35 winners received the prize for debut albums, although this is not a requirement: on this year's shortlist only Blizzard by Dove Ellis and That's Showbiz, Baby by JADE were debuts. For Raye this is her second nomination: she was previously nominated for My 21st Century Blues (2023), released after her split from a label which, she said, would not let her release a debut. In 2024 she set a Brit Awards record, winning six awards in one year, and in January she received a Grammy. Last year's winner Sam Fender donated his £25,000 to support grassroots music venues.
The story behind the album
According to the BBC, work on the album nearly fell apart: two years ago the singer's car was stolen with all her song notebooks and demos inside. The recordings were eventually returned, but the album's release was delayed by almost a year. 'I was in despair and very worried, but it all turned out well,' said Raye, adding that 'every accident creates the path you walk.'
Image source, Getty Images Raye is the 35th winner of the Mercury Prize, which was established to recognise albums that push the boundaries of music
Image source, Getty Images The star performed the big band number I Hate The Way I Look Today during the Mercury Prize ceremony
