RAYE has been named Variety’s Hitmaker of the Year for 2026.
The 29-year-old singer-songwriter will receive the accolade at Variety’s 10th annual Hitmakers event in Los Angeles on December 5, joining previous recipients including Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, SZA, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Jack Harlow, Elton John and Dua Lipa.
Variety’s Executive Music Editor, Jem Aswad, praised RAYE’s achievements both as a performer and advocate for musicians.
He said: “We’ve been fans of RAYE’s sound, songwriting and stellar live performances for years.
“This honor recognizes not just her world-class artistry, but also her fierce and outspoken advocacy for songwriters and independent artists. We are thrilled to honor her as Hitmaker of the Year for 2026 – and the first independent artist to receive the accolade.”
Olivia Rodrigo will receive the Songwriter of the Year prize at the ceremony, while KATSEYE have been named Group of the Year and Sienna Spiro will receive the Visionary Voice award.
The recognition comes during another major year for RAYE, who was recently announced as the second headliner for BST Hyde Park 2027.
The Escapism. hitmaker will perform at the London festival on July 10, with the show marking her biggest outdoor headline performance in the capital to date.
RAYE’s career has continued to grow since she released her independent debut album, My 21st Century Blues, in 2023.
The record established her as a major solo artist and earned her six BRIT Awards in 2024, including Album of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.
Her subsequent achievements have included more than 10 billion Spotify streams, 21 UK Top 40 singles and six sold-out shows at London’s O2 Arena. She has also performed at major festivals including Coachella and Glastonbury.
RAYE’s second studio album, THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE., arrived in March and went straight to number one in the UK, while also reaching the Top 10 in 16 territories worldwide.
She also received the Recording Academy’s Best Song for Social Change award for Ice Cream Man and was named the 2026 Mercury Prize winner for THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.
RAYE will be joined at BST Hyde Park by Sienna Spiro, whose debut album Visitor reached number two in the UK and number nine on the Billboard 200.
She joins Bon Jovi on the 2027 BST Hyde Park line-up, with further acts expected to be announced.