Urban Music Features
Artist to Watch: Corinne Bailey Rae
After a two-year hiatus when she was just starting to develop a name for herself, Grammy-nominated Corinne Bailey Rae came back to the scene with the release of her album The Sea— produced by Steve Brown and also Steve Chrisanthou, who was the producer for her first album—in January 2010. She took some time off after the tragic death of her husband fellow musician Jason Rae who passed away of a suspected methadone and alcohol overdose in 2008.
Rae has been no stranger to struggle for most of her life. Born of mixed races, Rae was tormented as a young child for her appearance. Putting her pain into her music, she took up violin, singing, and found comfort in playing music at church. Eventually she ended up in an indie group called Helen, a feminist indie rock group that helped Rae develop a name for herself.
Already making a strong comeback since her husband’s passing, Rae is booked for Lilith Fair 2010—along with some other large names including founder Sarah McLaughlin, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, Norah Jones, Sheryl Crow, and Heart—after wrapping up some current international dates, which run through the end of March.
Dubbed in 2006 as “the next biggest thing” when she was unsigned, she landed in the US Billboard Top 20 with little effort with her debut that housed her claim-to-fame track “Put Your Records On.” Now selling over four million albums prior to her latest release, it will be interesting to see what Rae can accomplish in the next year.
Causing buzz once again in the music world as she once did, Rae’s struggle that helped create her new stellar record will help her stay on top.
I think everyone is pretty much rooting for her Rae. Alongside acts of her stature on Lilith, we’re sure to be seeing her around in the future.
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