Long read: how Raye went from a label dispute to the Mercury Prize

Accepting the 2026 Mercury Prize at Newcastle's Utilita Arena on Thursday night, Raye said: 'I cannot tell you how grateful I am to be holding this. I'm shaking.' The judges, chaired by Jeff Smith, chose her second album 'This Music May Contain Hope' for its scale, structure, ambition and charm. Raye beat Paul McCartney, Suede, Dave, Olivia Dean and Florence + The Machine, among others. The prize, awarded since 1992 to the best album from the UK and Ireland, is worth £25,000.

The win has a back story. According to Rolling Stone UK, the British singer left her label after accusing it of refusing to let her release her debut album. That album, 'My 21st Century Blues', came out in 2023 and earned her six awards at the 2024 BRITs – a record for an artist in a single night, including album of the year and, as the first woman, songwriter of the year. After the Mercury win she wrote on Instagram that she had long been burdened with the narrative that 'no-one would care if I released an album'.

'This Music May Contain Hope' was released on 27 March 2026 on her own label, Human Re Sources. It has 17 tracks, runs 73 minutes and is structured around the four seasons. It blends big-band jazz, funk and pop; film composer Hans Zimmer features on 'Click Clack Symphony', and Raye's grandfather can be heard on 'Fields'. Lead single 'Where Is My Husband!' reached number one in the UK in January 2026 – the video is shown here.

Commercially it became her first UK number-one album and entered the German chart at number three. Reviews were largely enthusiastic, with Metacritic showing a score of 87 out of 100. Critics praised its ambition, range and vocals; some found it overstuffed, and The Guardian took issue with spoken-word passages.

The judges turned that very length into an argument: Raye 'displays real imagination and scope in showing what an album can be'. Raye herself told MusicRadar: 'Albums are so important.' In an industry chasing singles, she said, she was grateful for the recognition. And on the title: 'Hope is a very cheesy word, especially for us British people' – but hope is something everyone needs, 'and music is medicine'.