British singer RAYE won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second album, This Music May Contain Hope. An album is a collection of songs. The prize celebrates the best album by a British or Irish artist each year. The event took place at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle on Thursday evening. Olivia Dean was the favourite to win. Paul McCartney also had an album in the final group. He was 84, and this was his first time in that group.
The judges praised RAYE's mix of different kinds of music. They liked her story about a young woman's life and love. RAYE thanked them for the prize. She said albums were very important to her. She also said everyone needed hope. She called music medicine.
Earlier, RAYE left her record company. She said the company did not let her release her first album. She released that album, My 21st Century Blues, in 2023 without a record company. It also reached the final group for the Mercury Prize. After that album, she won six BRIT Awards in 2024. No artist had won so many in one year before.
