Raye is the winner of the Mercury Prize 2026, taking the trophy for‘This Music May Contain Hope’at a ceremony held at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena and hosted by Lauren Laverne. The shortlist she beat was stacked: Paul McCartney, Suede, Dave and Florence + The Machine all went home without the prize, and she now follows last year’s winner Sam Fender.
Her acceptance speech went well beyond the usual thank-yous. She reflected on her past battles with labels and the pressure to chase singles, explaining that for this record she wanted to go the opposite direction. She told the room she just wanted to make seven-minute songs, complete with a big band section and strings. Then she closed on hope, calling it something we all need and describing music as medicine.
She performed‘I Hate The Way I Look Today’during the ceremony and brought it back as the show’s closer. Next up, she plays‘This Music May Contain Hope’with an orchestra at London’s Royal Albert Hall tomorrow night. Have you given the album a full listen yet?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.