Corinne Bailey Rae: Jazz, Pop and Soul

Corinne Bailey Rae's musical influences range from choral church music and classical jazz to Veruca Salt and Led Zeppelin. With such a wide variety of inspirations, it's no surprise that her own music offers a unique perspective on modern music, as her crisp, clean vocals blend with a soulful backdrop of pianos, guitars and harmonies.

Rae grew up in her mother's native England with her West Indian father. After founding the indie-rock group Helen, she went to Leeds University and began working in a jazz club, where she occasionally sang with the house band. Her experiences with jazz inspired her to take a more soulful approach to her own songs, and she was signed by EMI with 10 years of experience and clear musical goals in mind. Now, the 26-year-old is well on her way to stardom: Her songs have been featured on the TV show Grey’s Anatomy, which is as good an indication as any that Rae is on the rise.



In Performance by Michaela Majoun
NPR/Music

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