Corinne Bailey Rae

Corinne Bailey Rae is a British singer-songwriter from Leeds, West Yorkshire, whose warm, jazz-inflected soul and acoustic pop earned her critical acclaim from the mid-2000s onward. Her self-titled debut album, released in February 2006, made her the fourth female British act in history to debut at number one on the UK charts, powered by the breezy hit single «Put Your Records On» and the tender «Like a Star». The album's blend of folk, soul and light jazz guitar textures established a signature intimate, understated sound that stood apart from the era's more produced pop.

Her talent was widely recognised in 2007 with three Grammy Award nominations and three Brit Award nods, alongside two MOBO Awards, cementing her as one of Britain's most distinctive new voices. She has also lent her interpretive gifts to notable covers, including a haunting rendition of Coldplay's «The Scientist».

Her second album, «The Sea», released in January 2010, marked a deeper, more emotionally raw turn, produced once again by Steve Brown and Steve Chrisanthou, who had also worked on her debut. The record earned her a nomination for the 2010 Mercury Prize for Album of the Year. Rae's later work, including songs like «Closer» and «Trouble Sleeping», has continued to explore soul, funk and psychedelic influences while retaining the emotional honesty that defined her early breakthrough.