Put her record on, and let the music speak for itself.
That’s simply how British singer/songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae found mega-success in the United Kingdom. Now she has set her sights on the States, though it’s taking a bit more of a concerted effort here.
She is currently a featured artist for VH1’s “You Oughta Know” campaign, and she recently made appearances on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” “Good Morning America” and “Live With Regis and Kelly.”
That exposure has helped push Rae into the spotlight. Last week, her self-titled Capitol Records debut entered The Billboard 200 at No. 17, and first single, “Put Your Records On,” is No. 12 on the Hot Contemporary Jazz Songs chart.
Although Rae merges the spirit of Billie Holiday with the neo-soul of Erykah Badu, she has been easily making inroads in the mainstream market.
That’s because her album comprises “a little bit of everything,” she says in her official bio. “It’s chilled out, acoustic, kooky, atmospheric and soulful.
“I am a fan of jazz, but not the muso kind,” she continues. “I hate all the noodling, which is why I love classic songs — they are so pure and succinct. That’s what I tried to do with my own songs. They are short and sweet, to the point. I’m interested in [writing about] the things that no one ever tells you about in relationships, about how love works in terms of expectation versus reality. I like the idea of leaving people wanting more, not less, you know?”
Her sound may have some very jazzy overtones, but her influences run the gamut. In fact, she names Bjork, Massive Attack, Veruca Salt, L7 and Led Zeppelin as reasons why she began writing songs. “I wanted to follow in their footsteps and create music of my own,” she says.
And indeed she has. “The response so far has been amazing,” she notes, “All this feels so right to me — writing songs, playing music, is precisely what I should be doing with my life.”
To keep up the pace, Rae will continue to promote herself across the U.S. with a July 16 appearance on A&E’s “Breakfast With the Arts,” and as a featured artist for Yahoo! Music’s “Who’s Next” campaign. Then, on July 24, she will embark on her first U.S. headlining tour.
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