Raye wins 2026 Mercury Prizepublished at 22:09 BSTBreaking
Raye has been announced as this year's Mercury Prize winner for her album This Music May Contain Hope.
Summary
Spoiler warning: This page will announce the winner live before it's broadcast on BBC Four
The Mercury Prize is under way in Newcastle with 12 artists waiting to see if they have won the prestigious award
The prize honours the best overall album from the UK or Ireland, with the winner being chosen by a panel of music experts
Olivia Dean, Florence + the Machine, Raye, and Dave are among the favourites on tonight's shortlist
On the red carpet, Olivia Dean tells the BBC she feels "I'm still in this crazy whirlwind of it all" after her recent success, while Kojey Radical says being involved tonight "means everything to me"
The ceremony is being hosted in Newcastle for the second time - it was first held in the city last year, when the £25,000 prize was won by Geordie favourite Sam Fender
You can listen to a special Mercury Prize show on Radio 6 Music at the top of this page
What's your pick?
'I'm speechless': Olivia Dean on making UK chart history
Raye wins 2026 Mercury Prizepublished at 22:09 BST
Who picks the winner?published at 22:06 BST
Image caption, Manchester-based DJ and musician Afrodeutsche is a first-time Mercury judge
Let's take a look at who's on the independent panel of judges picking tonight's winner:
- Afrodeutsche, composer, DJ and broadcaster for BBC Radio 3 and BBC 6 Music Unwind
- Danielle Perry, broadcaster and musician
- Jamie Cullum, musician and BBC Radio 2 broadcaster
- Lea Stonhill, music programming consultant
- MistaJam, songwriter, DJ and broadcaster
- Phil Alexander, creative director at Kerrang! and contributing editor for Mojo
- Sian Eleri, BBC Radio 1 broadcaster and DJ
- Sophie Williams, music writer and broadcaster
- Will Hodgkinson, chief rock and pop critic for The Times
- Jeff Smith, panel chair, and head of music for BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music
The judges meet today to decide the overall winner, with details of discussions and individual votes kept confidential to "ensure that all members of the judging team are able to express their opinions freely and openly".
Mercury Prize trivia for your next pub quizpublished at 22:00 BST
Mark Savage
Music correspondentWhile we wait for the winner of the Mercury Prize to be announced, here are some of the facts we’ve spotted about this year’s nominees that you can bore your friends with.
- Jade Thirlwall is the first X Factor winner to get a Mercury nomination. The former Little Mixer is shortlisted for her debut solo album, That’s Showbiz, Baby!
- Paul McCartney is the second-oldest nominee in Mercury Prize history. At the age of 84, he’s just a few weeks younger than folk legend Martin Carthy when he was nominated for last year’s prize
- With a 73-minute running time, Raye’s This Music May Contain Hope is the longest single album ever to receive a Mercury nomination. (Double albums by Roni Size and Warchild are longer, though)
- The charity compilation Help (2) features a who’s who of former Mercury nominees – 21 in total, of which 10 have won the prize: Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, Young Fathers, Wolf Alice, Pulp, Sampha, Portishead’s Beth Gibbons, Arlo Parks, English Teacher and Ezra Collective
In pictures: Artists thrill at the Mercury Prize ceremonypublished at 21:55 BST
We've now had live performances in Newcastle from the nominees (some couldn't make it).
Artists including Jade, Olivia Dean and Knats wowed fans with their energy on stage.
Image source, JMEnternational/Getty ImagesImage caption, Knats wowed the Newcastle crowd with a twisty jazz track
Image source, JMEnternational/Getty ImagesImage caption, Olivia Dean is up for her album The Art of Loving
Image source, JMEnternational/Getty ImagesImage caption, Pulp are now set to take a break... but not before Jarvis Cocker had time for a final strut around the Newcastle arena's stage
Image source, JMEnternational/Getty ImagesImage caption, South Shields' very own Jade lit up the Newcastle venue with a rendition of her pop smash Angel of My Dreams
Excited fans enjoy a fun night of performancespublished at 21:51 BST
Eleanor Doyle
BBC Newsbeat, at the Mercury Prize awardsWe’ve been watching friends Joe Sutherland and Thomas Atkins reach out for Florence Welch during her performance.
"We go to uni here in Newcastle and we really wanted to see the albums of year. Jade was amazing she’s my favourite," says Joe, 20, adding: "I like the way Florence got the crowd going."
Thomas, 21, says he'd "like to see Olivia Dean or Jade take it [the prize]".
He adds: "I’ve never heard of Suede but they’re getting added straight to the playlist."
Image caption, Joe Sutherland and Thomas Atkins
'A dark shadow over the album': Florence + The Machine – Everybody Screampublished at 21:42 BST
Mark Savage
Music correspondent
Image source, PolydorFlorence Welch began working on Everybody Scream after experiencing a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy – and the experience casts a dark shadow over her sixth album.
She questions her devotion to her career, worrying about the physical toll it takes, but ultimately finds catharsis in the primal power of her own voice.
Highest chart position: Number one
Florence + The Machine's angrily compelling performance rounds off the showpublished at 21:41 BST
Mark Savage
Music correspondent, reporting from the Mercury PrizeWrapping up tonight’s live performances, we have Florence + The Machine, with One Of The Greats - a grungy, sarcastic track from her Mercury nominated album.
Everybody Scream. It’s a song that questions the challenges female artists face in the music industry - and why mediocre men get so much more praise.
Her performance is angrily compelling, as she stalks the stage shooting accusations into the air like poison darts.
What a way to end the show.
Image source, JMEnternational/Getty Images'I'm owning my womanhood now,' says Nia Archivespublished at 21:38 BST
Eleanor Doyle
BBC Newsbeat, at the Mercury Prize awardsRecord producer, DJ, singer and songwriter - Nia Archives does it all.
Her album Emotional Junglist is definitely more grown up, and Nia says she’s feeling "more sexy" with her sound recently.
Speaking to Newsbeat earlier, she said: "I’ve just turned 27 a month ago. I’m talking about grown up topics now. I’m stepping into and owning my womanhood now."
She also says she’s pleased the award looks beyond streaming figures.
"They look at the album as a full piece. Which is amazing."
She told us she’s not expecting to win, but would "hypothetically invest it into [her] label and take them abroad.
"I’d also like to spend it on getting more young people into dance music," she adds.
Image source, JMEnternational/Getty Images'Traces the arc of a relationship': Nia Archives - Emotional Junglistpublished at 21:36 BST
Mark Savage
Music correspondent
Image source, IslandThe only dance record on the shortlist, Nia Archives' second album traces the arc of a relationship from the first flush of love to a breakup so ugly that her partner calls the police.
Despite the title, she says "it's not a jungle album [but] an alternative record", that pulls on everything from Bjork's Debut to Pulp's Different Class, while a full live band breathes life into her breakbeats and heartaches.
Highest chart position: 30
Rebellious, punk rock feel from Nia Archivespublished at 21:35 BST
Annabel Rackham
Culture reporter, at the Mercury Prize awardsOur penultimate performance tonight has come from Nia Archives, who brought her signature dance sound to Newcastle this evening, with Boys in Blue from her album Emotional Junglist - which explores both falling in love and breaking up, taking the listener on quite the emotional journey.
There was a rebellious, punk rock feel to the high energy rendition, complete with a pretty rockstar outfit to match.
Watch the ceremony on BBC Fourpublished at 21:33 BST
The Mercury Prize ceremony is well under way, and you can watch a delayed playback featuring tonight's performances.
That's available now on BBC Four and on iPlayer.
A reminder that we'll bring you the result here, before the delayed feed catches up on the channel.
Jade throws the kitchen sink at her solo debut – That's Showbiz, Baby!published at 21:27 BST
Mark Savage
Music correspondent
Image source, RCAFreed from the shackles of girl group conformity, Jade Thirlwall threw everything, including the kitchen sink, at her solo debut.
But she romps through the stylistic twists of Angel of my Dreams (electro-dance-opera), Fantasy (sci-fi sex disco) and Midnight Cowboy (catwalk camp) with aplomb, never loosening her grip on a golden vein of pop melody.
Highest chart position: Number three
A pop album hasn't won the Mercury since the 90s - Jade's hoping to change thatpublished at 21:26 BST
Mark Savage
Music correspondent, reporting from the Mercury PrizeJade had the fastest-selling British debut album of 2025 with That’s Showbiz, Baby! (Exclamation mark compulsory) describing it as a "pop punch to the face".
But tonight she’s playing the slow, orchestral version of the album’s melodramatic opener, Angel of My Dreams.
Or is she? After the harps and strings accompany the opening chorus, a jackhammer beat turns the Utilita Arena into an impromptu race.
A pop album hasn’t won the Mercury since the 1990s, but she’s mounting a pretty good argument for smashing through that roadblock.
And if she takes the trophy, we can all head back to her pub in South Shields for the afterparty.
Jade entertains with Angel of My Dreamspublished at 21:23 BST
Eleanor Doyle
BBC Newsbeat, at the Mercury Prize awards"Go on girl!"
We hear from the crowd as Jade comes to the stage and brings us a cinematic rendition of Angel of My Dreams.
Image source, JMEnternational/Getty Images'Drops the bravado of his youth': Dave's The Boy Who Played The Harp albumpublished at 21:19 BST
Mark Savage
Music correspondent
Image source, NeighbourhoodIntrospective and thoughtful, Dave's fourth album drops the bravado of his youth to confront his loss of faith, alcoholism and infidelity.
He describes it as a record that "demands focus" and deliberately avoids hit singles - aside from the sensual, Afrobeats-inspired Raindance.
Highest chart position: Number one
Dave not in attendance - but audience still enjoy Raindancepublished at 21:17 BST
Annabel Rackham
Culture reporter, at the Mercury Prize awardsSadly Dave couldn’t be in attendance tonight, so the audience was treated to a performance of his number one hit Raindance from this summer’s Reading Festival which was a collaboration with Tems.
He’s nominated tonight for his third studio album, The Boy Who Played The Harp, which explores a number of important themes, from his battle with mental health, sobriety, and social and political issues such as war and instability.
Could we see an Irishman take the Mercury Prize for the first time?published at 21:16 BST
Eleanor Doyle
BBC Newsbeat, reporting from the Mercury PrizeA potential first Irish winner? Dove Ellis is from Moycullen, County Galway in the west of Ireland.
An Irish artist has never won the Mercury Prize before in the history of the award so it could be quite the moment if he wins it.
Knats named Dove as their favourite to win. They said his vibe was very Thom Yorke and Radiohead.
'Devastating emotional release': Dove Ellis – Blizzardpublished at 21:14 BST
Mark Savage
Music correspondent
Image source, Black Butter RecordsGalway indie-folk musician Thomas O'Donogue only started releasing music under the name Dove Ellis last year, but his soaring vocals immediately sparked a record label bidding war.
His debut album has drawn comparisons to Radiohead and Jeff Buckley for its moments of abstract beauty and devastating emotional release.
Highest chart position: Number 47
Dove Ellis's antidote to algorithmic pop makes him this year's dark horsepublished at 21:13 BST
Mark Savage
Music correspondent, reporting from the Mercury Prize
Image source, JMEnternational/Getty ImagesTime for Dove Ellis - who is the dark horse of this year’s Mercury Prize - a total newcomer; who only started releasing music last year.
The Galway-born songwriter, born Thomas O’Donoghue, recorded his debut album Blizzard in two weeks and released it eight weeks later - working on the theory that immediacy and imperfection was the antidote to algorithmic pop.
To the select few who’ve heard it, his soaring choruses and heartfelt melancholy have become firm favourites.
His performance here - unshowy but beautiful - is bound to win even more new fans. Which is what the Mercury should really be about.
Kojey Radical praises nominees on Mercury Prize shortlistpublished at 21:11 BST
Eleanor Doyle
BBC NewsbeatKojey Radical spoke to BBC Newsbeat on the red carpet earlier about whether more opportunities should be given to smaller acts at the awards.
"The Mercury Prize has never been about popularity," he replied.
But he also said everyone on the shortlist deserves to be there.
The Mercury Prize organisers say it’s all about the best British or Irish album judged on musical merit and creativity - not on things like sales, streams or genre.
