# Raye wins the Mercury Prize 2026: “Hope is just something that we all need. Music is medicine”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/raye-wins-the-mercury-prize-2026-hope-is-just-something-that-we-all-need-music-is-medicine/
- Published: 2026-10-23T00:04:21+00:00
- Original publisher: NME
- Original article: https://www.nme.com/news/music/mercury-prize-2026-winner-announced-raye-speech-performance-watch-3973848?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mercury-prize-2026-winner-announced-raye-speech-performance-watch
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Raye won the 2026 Mercury Prize for ‘This Music May Contain Hope’.
- She described music as medicine and said everyone needs hope.
- The ceremony took place in Newcastle, with Raye set to play the album at the Royal Albert Hall.

## Summary

Raye won the 2026 Mercury Prize for ‘This Music May Contain Hope’, using her acceptance speech to say that hope is something everyone needs and that “music is medicine”. The award recognises an album she said was shaped by her belief in albums and her wish to make expansive, indulgent songs.

The ceremony was held at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on 22 October and hosted by Lauren Laverne. Raye’s album reached Number One and beat a shortlist including Paul McCartney, Olivia Dean, Dave and Florence + The Machine, as well as the ‘Help(2)’ compilation. She performed ‘I Hate The Way I Look Today’ and is due to play the album in full with an orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall.

## Coverage

- [NME: Raye wins the Mercury Prize 2026: “Hope is just something that we all need. Music is medicine”](https://www.nme.com/news/music/mercury-prize-2026-winner-announced-raye-speech-performance-watch-3973848?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mercury-prize-2026-winner-announced-raye-speech-performance-watch)
- [Pitchfork: Raye Wins 2026 Mercury Prize](https://pitchfork.com/story/raye-wins-2026-mercury-prize/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.