Raye takes Mercury Prize with expansive second album

Raye has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for This Music May Contain Hope, securing the £25,000 award for a 17-track album that combines pop, big-band jazz, funk and power ballads. She accepted the trophy at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, saying she was “shaking”, jet-lagged and grateful. The win makes Raye the 35th recipient of the prize, which recognises the best British or Irish album released over the previous 12 months.

According to the BBC, it is the first time a pop album has won since M People’s Elegant Slumming in 1994. The album, released in March, went straight to the top of the UK charts and includes the global hit Where Is My Husband? The Guardian reported that the song reached No 1 in the UK and No 6 in the United States.

Its wider record tells a cinematic story of heartbreak, recovery and renewed resilience. Raye told the BBC that she had made the record without concentrating on commercial success or producing something “cookie-cutter”. She highlighted its length and scale, noting that some songs run for seven minutes and describing the project as indulgent and maximalist.

The production involved four orchestras, more than 100 musicians and an appearance by soul singer Al Green. The judging panel said Raye had shown “real imagination and scope” by going beyond one style or genre. It praised the album’s scale, structure, ambition and charm.

The award follows a difficult period in Raye’s career. The Guardian said she had previously criticised her record label for preventing her from releasing a studio album, before leaving the label and finding major success. Her first album, My 21st Century Blues, won six Brit awards at one ceremony, a record for the event.

Work on the winning album was also delayed after Raye’s car was stolen two years ago, taking songwriting notebooks and demos with it. The material was eventually recovered, but the BBC said the incident postponed the project by nearly a year. Raye said she now viewed the setback as part of the path that led to the album.

Olivia Dean had been considered the bookmakers’ favourite with The Art of Loving, a second album that the BBC said had already won album-of-the-year awards at the Brits and Mobos. The Guardian reported that it had spent all 55 weeks since release in the UK Top 10. Other shortlisted artists included Paul McCartney, Suede, Dave, Jade, Kojey Radical, Knats and the War Child compilation Help (2).

McCartney, nominated for the first time, sent a video message saying he was surprised and pleased to be included. Last year’s winner, Newcastle’s Sam Fender, donated his prize money to grassroots music venues.