RAYE Wins 2026 Mercury Prize for 'This Music May Contain Hope'
British singer RAYE won the 2026 Mercury Prize on the evening of October 22 at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, England, for her second studio album, 'This Music May Contain Hope.' The ceremony was hosted by Lauren Laverne, and RAYE receives the trophy and a 25,000-pound prize.
RAYE, whose real name is Rachel Agatha Keen, is 28 and from South London. The 17-track album was released independently through Human Re Sources on March 27, 2026, blending jazz, soul, R&B and orchestral arrangements. She performed the album track 'I Hate The Way I Look Today' during the ceremony.
Accepting the prize, RAYE said she has always believed in albums: 'I cannot tell you how grateful I am to be holding this. I'm shaking, I'm jetlagged, I'm tired, I'm grateful, it's all blurry.' She added: 'Hope is a very cheesy word, especially for us British. We don't do that kind of deep stuff like that, but hope is just something that we all need. Music is medicine.'
RAYE was previously shortlisted in 2023 for her debut album 'My 21st Century Blues,' when the prize went to Ezra Collective. This year's shortlist also included Paul McCartney, Olivia Dean, Dave, Florence + The Machine, JADE, Nia Archives, Suede, Knats, Dove Ellis, Kojey Radical, and War Child Records' 'Help (2)' compilation.
Established in 1992, the Mercury Prize honors outstanding albums by artists from the United Kingdom and Ireland, with artistic merit taking precedence over commercial performance. Last year's winner was Sam Fender.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：英国歌手 RAYE 2024 年在 Chicago 的 Thalia Hall 演出资料图（非颁奖礼现场）。SecretName101 摄，CC BY 4.0，经维基共享资源。Photo: RAYE performing at Thalia Hall in Chicago in 2024 (file photo, not the awards ceremony). By SecretName101, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
