Pop star Raye has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second album ‘This Music May Contain Hope,’ beating the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Olivia Dean and Jade to take the £25,000 prize.
Noted for recognizing the best British or Irish album of the last 12 months, it is the first time a pop album has won the coveted prize, since M People's Elegant Slumming in 1994. Speaking after collecting her award at Newcastle's Utilita Arena, the 28-year-old said: “I poured everything I had into the recording, which wasn’t focusing on commercial success.
"I couldn't tell you how grateful I am to be holding this," she said.
“I put everything I had into this work. Some of these songs are seven minutes – making them indulgent and maximalist."
The 29-year-old also performed the big band number ‘I Hate The Way I Look Today’ during the Mercury Prize ceremony, after which she said: "This is all blurry to me." The recording tells a story of a relationship that ends in tears on the rainy streets of Paris, before follows the heroine as she emerges stronger and more resilient.
It also features her grandparents, soul legend Al Green, four separate orchestras and over 100 musicians. The Mercury Prize, which was established in 1992, is set-out to recognise albums that moved music forwards, without following the more commercial fashion or trends in the industry.
Previous winners include Primal Scream, M People, Pulp, Roni Size & Reprazent, Ms Dynamite, PJ Harvey, Dizzee Rascal, Michael Kiwanuka, Little Simz, Ezra Collective and Sam Fender.
