Source : @Variety
NEWCASTLE — British singer-songwriter Raye has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for her second studio album, “This Music May Contain Hope”, beating a shortlist that included Olivia Dean, Paul McCartney and Jade, Variety reported on Thursday (Oct 22).
The award, which recognises the best album from the UK and Ireland over the past 12 months, was presented at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle. Raye took home the trophy and the £25,000 prize, with the judges praising “the scale, structure, ambition and sheer charm” of the record, according to the BBC.
“I couldn’t tell you how grateful I am to be holding this,” Raye said as she held her trophy, the BBC reported. “I’m shaking, I’m jet-lagged, I’m tired. It’s all blurry.” Speaking to the broadcaster afterwards, the 28-year-old said she had “poured everything I had” into the album. “I made this album not focusing on commercial [success], not focusing on making things cookie-cutter,” she said. “Some of these songs are seven minutes. They’re indulgent. They’re maximalist.”
Raye’s album topped fellow nominees Dave (“The Boy Who Played the Harp”), Dove Ellis (“Blizzard”), Florence + the Machine (“Everybody Scream”), Jade (“That’s Showbiz Baby!”), Knats (“A Great Day in Newcastle”), Kojey Radical (“Don’t Look Down”), Nia Archives (“Emotional Junglist”), Olivia Dean (“The Art of Loving”), Paul McCartney (“The Boys of Dungeon Lane”), Suede (“Antidepressants”) and the War Child charity compilation “Help(2)”.
Released in March, “This Music May Contain Hope” went straight to the top of the UK charts and features the hit single “Where Is My Husband!”. Spanning 17 tracks and 73 minutes, the record tells a cinematic story of a relationship that ends in tears on the rainy streets of Paris, and of its heroine emerging stronger. It features both of her grandparents, soul legend Al Green, four separate orchestras and more than 100 musicians. According to the BBC, it is the first time a pop album has won the prize since M People’s “Elegant Slumming” in 1994.
Variety’s review said the album “does not lack for ambition”, noting that it is divided into four sections based on the seasons and “sprawls across a surprisingly fast-moving 70 minutes, 17 songs and nearly as many styles”. The review added: “This is not an album for background listening — it basically demands your attention.”
The record nearly did not happen. Two years ago, the singer’s car was stolen along with all of her songwriting notebooks and demos. Although they were eventually recovered, the theft delayed work on the album by almost a year. “Every little slip, every little accident, every little thing, it creates the path that you take,” she told the BBC.
Olivia Dean had been the bookmakers’ favourite for “The Art of Loving”, which had already been named album of the year at the Brit Awards and the Mobos. Raye, a Variety Hitmakers honoree in 2024, is the 35th winner of the Mercury Prize, which was established in 1992 to recognise albums that push music forward. Past winners include Arlo Parks, Little Simz, the xx and James Blake, while last year’s prize went to Newcastle singer-songwriter Sam Fender. Performers at this year’s ceremony included Suede and Pulp.
The original Variety post can be viewed on X: https://x.com/Variety/status/2113385506029584458.
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