Raye Is on the 2026 TIME100 Next - Time Magazine

Raye is exactly that—a ray of sunlight. Warmth and depth radiate from her, both in person and through that extraordinary voice. The truth sounds better coming from her: powerful, honeyed, vulnerable, and knowing. As heard on her 2026 album, This Music May Contain Hope, she has that rare ability to make something deeply personal feel universal, turning heartbreak, humor, and hard-won honesty into music that reaches straight through you.

Read TIME’s interview with Raye here.

I was lucky enough to watch my friend perform at Glastonbury, and seeing her infectious spirit lift thousands of people into a collective reverie was one of those moments I’ll never forget. There was joy, but also something deeper: the sense of watching an artist completely inhabit the place she has earned for herself. Raye has fought for her voice in every sense, and perhaps that’s why we believe her when she sings. There’s no distance between the woman and the artist. She is all heart, all soul—all Raye.

Taylor-Joy is an Emmy-nominated actor.

Art Direction and Set Art by Jana Frost for TIME; Photography by Stefano Giuliano for TIME; Hair by Alex Price at Eighteen Management; Makeup by Olly Fisk at Stella Creative Artists; Nails by Angel at A-Frame Agency; Styling by Eniola Dare; Cover: Harris Reed corset and skirt, Audemars Piguet watch; Instrument look: Alexander McQueen dress, Sonia Petroff earrings, Audemars Piguet watch.