Twenty years after her debut single Put Your Records On became a feelgood anthem, Corinne Bailey Rae is marking the anniversary with a children's book of the same name. The singer, who shot to fame in 2006 with her self-titled album, has spoken candidly about the tragedy that derailed her career: the accidental drug overdose of her husband, saxophonist Jason Rae, in 2008.
Bailey Rae was close to finishing her second album, The Sea, when Jason died. The album was eventually released two years later and nominated for the Mercury Prize. Since then, she has released two more albums, including 2024's Black Rainbow, also Mercury-nominated. She describes her grief as a 'rupture' that changed her relationship with music.
The singer, now 47, also discussed the harsh realities of fame as a woman in the 2000s. She recalled being labelled 'middle of the road' if she didn't conform to a sexualised image. 'If you weren't tits-out-for-the-lads, they called you middle of the road,' she said. Her new book, inspired by the song, tells the story of a young girl discovering music through her great-aunt's record collection.
Growing up in Leeds as the mixed-race daughter of divorced parents, Bailey Rae felt like an outsider. She found belonging in her church, where she was exposed to rock music and social activism. She formed a punk band at 15 and later met Jason while working as a cloakroom attendant. Despite his portrayal in the media as a reckless jazz musician, she insists they were alike: both religious, academic, and driven by music.
