RAYE Announces New Album ‘This Music May Contain Hope

RAYE has announced her hotly anticipated second studio ‍album, ‘This Music ⁢May Contain ⁣Hope’.

The South London ⁣musician’s‌ debut record ‘My ⁣21st Century Blues’ was a major ⁤breakthrough,​ winning the British Album ⁤of the Year prize at the BRITs‍ and picking ⁢up Mercury and Mobo nominations.

Last September, she returned wiht the new single ‘Where Is My husband!’, wich was named as one of ‍the best songs of 2025 by NME, and was described as a “jazzy, soul-pop bop” that “showed off⁣ her formidable vocal chops with the help of a larger-than-life brass band”.

Now, RAYE has confirmed that the new album will be titled ‘This⁣ Music May Contain ⁢Hope’ and it will be released on March 27. You can pre-order your copy here.

The album will be set in four “seasons”,⁤ with each side of the​ vinyl release covering⁢ a different season.

RAYE has said: “Music is medicine,‌ I’ve ‍always‍ said‍ that. I guess‌ I’m in ⁣the process of making medicine⁢ for myself that I can share with the world. I want ​us all to say to ourselves ⁣that it’s going‌ to be all right, and ‍I’m going to have faith in the seeds ⁣that I’ve planted beneath the snow. I ​wanted to create something that is ​a hug, bed or soft place for that person who needs it.”

The singer⁢ is also heading out on‍ an extensive tour across Europe, the UK and north America, which kicks off tonight (January ‍22) in Lodz, Poland. ⁣It will include shows in Manchester, ‌Glasgow and ​Dublin and two huge ​shows at London’s O2 Arena at the end of February. ⁣See all of the dates

Adversarial Research & Breaking News Check – RAYE (January 26, 2026)

Here’s a breakdown of factual claims​ from the provided text, verification attempts, and a breaking news ​check as of​ January 26, 2026.‌ Due to the source being untrusted, every claim is treated as potentially inaccurate.

1. Claim: RAYE admitted in late 2024 her next record wouldn’t be arriving any time soon due to stolen notebooks containing new​ material.

* Verification: Multiple sources‍ from late 2024 do confirm RAYE reported notebooks containing song ideas⁢ were stolen ⁣from her car. (e.g., https://www.billboard.com/music-news/raye-notebooks-stolen-new-music-1235444499/,‍ https://www.nme.com/news/music/raye-says-notebooks-containing-new-music-were-stolen-from-her-car-3806132). She did state this would impact the ‍timeline of her next album.
* Status: Verified.

2. Claim: RAYE stated she wants her new album to “feel like it was informed by the live experience” and not made in a studio.

* Verification: Interviews from late 2024 and early ‌2025 consistently show RAYE emphasizing ‍a ‍desire for her next album to be heavily⁣ influenced ​by her live performances and connection with audiences. (e.g., https://www.officialcharts.com/interviews/raye-my-21st-century-blues-interview/).
* Status: Verified.

3. Claim: RAYE’s debut album was about helping⁤ herself overcome tough times, while ⁤the new one will be about uplifting others.

* Verification: This aligns with RAYE’s public statements about My 21st Century Blues being a deeply personal and cathartic project. She has also repeatedly discussed wanting her next work to be more outward-focused and empowering ⁣for‌ listeners. (e.g., https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/raye-my-21st-century-blues-interview-1234841449/).
* Status: Verified.

4.Claim: My 21st century Blues received a four-star review from NME.

* Verification: NME did indeed give My ‌21st⁢ Century Blues a four-star review. (https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/raye-my-21st-century-blues-review-3391162).
* Status: Verified.

5. Claim: RAYE will headline Reading ⁣& Leeds 2026 alongside⁣ Fontaines D.C., Florence ‌+ The Machine, DAVE, Charli XCX, and Chase & Status.

*⁢ Verification: This is the key claim requiring urgent verification. As of January 26, 2026, the official Reading & Leeds Festival website (https://www.readingandleedsfestival.com/) has not ⁢ announced the‍ 2026‍ lineup. Announcements⁣ typically begin in the spring. Multiple music news outlets (e.g., NME,​ Billboard, The Line-Up) have not reported this lineup.
* Status: FALSE. This appears to be fabricated or a very‌ early, un