Raye has been named the 35th winner of the prestigious Mercury Prize for her second studio album, This Music May Contain Hope. The record, which offers a blend of golden age Hollywood glamour, outperformed a competitive shortlist that included Sir Paul McCartney, Olivia Dean, and Jade to secure the £25,000 cash prize. Raye has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her show-stopping second album This Music May Contain Hope.
Accepting the trophy at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, the singer expressed her deep gratitude, remarking, “I couldn’t tell you how grateful I am to be holding this. I’m shaking, I’m jet-lagged, I’m tired. It’s all blurry.” This victory marks a significant milestone for pop music, as it is the first time a pop album has claimed the award—which honors the best British or Irish album of the previous year—since M People won with Elegant Slumming in 1994. It is the first time a pop album has won the coveted prize – which recognises the best British or Irish album of the last 12 months – since M People’s Elegant Slumming in 1994.
Raye explained that she poured everything she had into the project, which includes the globally successful track Where Is My Husband? The album features an ambitious scale, encompassing 17 tracks across 73 minutes. The singer described the work as “indulgent” and “maximalist,” incorporating contributions from over 100 musicians, four separate orchestras, her own grandparents, and soul icon Al Green. Some of these songs are seven minutes. The record tells a cinematic story about a relationship that ends in tears on the rainy streets of Paris, then follows our plucky heroine as she dusts off the debris and emerges stronger, across 17 tracks and 73 minutes.
The narrative arc of the album follows a cinematic journey, beginning with a painful romantic fallout on the streets of Paris and concluding with the protagonist finding resilience and strength. Since its release in March, the album has achieved critical acclaim and reached the top of the UK charts.
Reviewers have been highly receptive to the project’s unique sound. Rolling Stone noted its “old-school show-tune razzle-dazzle,” while the NME highlighted the strength of Raye’s songwriting and vocal performance. A review further characterized the collection as an “eccentric, kitsch and dramatic” record, noting that Raye unapologetically commits to her creative vision.
