Raye wins the Mercury Prize and says she feels ‘seriously seen’
Raye’s second album, This Music May Contain Hope, won the 2026 Mercury Prize. She called the award the best birthday present she could have asked for.
Raye won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second album, This Music May Contain Hope, at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on Thursday, 22 October. The award puts her record ahead of a shortlist that included Paul McCartney, Olivia Dean and JADE.
In the winners’ room after the ceremony, Raye called it ‘the best birthday present I could have asked for.’ She told NME that being recognised for the album made her feel ‘seriously seen.’
What Raye said about her Mercury Prize win
‘I just poured so much heart into this album, I really did,’ Raye told reporters at the arena, according to NME. She said she had set herself the goal of making her most ambitious album and described the Mercury Prize as an accolade she had always dreamed of receiving.
Raye said the record involved ‘about four orchestras’ worth of musicians.’ She also described the tension between art and commercial success, saying she was grateful that the judges had recognised a body of work into which she had poured her heart.
Speaking separately to the BBC after the win, Raye said she had ‘poured everything I had’ into the record, which includes the song Where Is My Husband? The BBC reported that she was shaking, jet-lagged and tired as she held the trophy at the ceremony.
Why this Mercury Prize win stands out
The Mercury Prize recognises a British or Irish album from the preceding 12 months and carries £25,000, according to the BBC. It was established in 1992 to recognise albums for their artistic achievement rather than commercial performance.
The BBC said This Music May Contain Hope is the first pop album to win since M People’s Elegant Slumming in 1994. Billboard reported that Raye had previously been nominated for her 2023 album My 21st Century Blues, making this her first win.
The shortlist also included the charity compilation Help (2), recorded in aid of War Child, the BBC reported. Billboard said BBC Radio 1 DJ Sian Eleri announced the winner at the Newcastle ceremony, which was hosted by BBC Radio 6 Music DJ Lauren Laverne.
Raye’s next scheduled appearance was an orchestral performance of This Music May Contain Hope in full at London’s Royal Albert Hall on 23 October, according to NME. The concert was still ahead of her when she spoke after the prize ceremony.
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Sources and context
- Raye on the "best birthday present" of her Mercury Prize win: "I just feel seriously seen"NME
- Raye wins the Mercury Prize with This Music May Contain HopeBBC News
- RAYE Wins 2026 Mercury Prize With ‘This Music May Contain Hope’Billboard
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.