by Leslie Simon

“Three little birds sat on my window

And they told me I don’t need to worry…”

Born in Leeds, England, Corinne Jacqueline Bailey Rae began studying classical violin in school before turning to singing, with her first vocal performances taking place at church. Early on, she recorded two albums with her worship ministry youth group, and her youth group leader offered to buy her a guitar. As she moved into her teens, she became influenced by Lenny Kravitz and rock acts like Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. 

With indie band Helen, she explored her 90s feminist Riot Grrl side, inspired by bands such as Veruca Salt and L7. When a record deal fell through because of another band member’s pregnancy, Bailey Rae began working toward a more soulful solo career. A collaboration with Leeds funk group The New Mastersounds (their guitarist Eddie Roberts lives right in Denver) opened new doors and she began to hone in on her new introspective style.

Her 2006 self-titled debut album hit #1 on the charts, making her only the fourth woman in British history to have her debut album top the charts. That album has since gone on to sell over four million copies. Its hit single “Put Your Records On” put her on the map, earning Grammy nominations for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best New Artist, and a musical gig on Saturday Night Live. With an intro that pays homage to Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” Rae continued the Marley love by recording his song “Is This Love” and winning a Grammy for Best R&B Performance for it in 2012.

Although she didn’t win for her debut, she did win a Grammy for Album of the Year for her work with Herbie Hancock on River: The Joni Letters. Awards and recognitions kept pouring in. Despite her career success, tragedy struck in 2008 when her husband, fellow musician Jason Rae, passed away from an accidental overdose. Rae took all that pain and grief and poured it into her music. 

Her most recent genre-bending album Black Rainbows was released last year, and is directly inspired by her work with Stony Island Arts Bank, a cultural hub, archive, and community space on the South Side of Chicago that celebrates Black culture and excellence. The songs are inspired by different stories from the archives, and the sound is more guitar-driven and rock-inspired than her other albums. Her current tour blends psychedelic-jazz with spacey funk to make a dreamy but tough sound that provides a strong foundation for her angelic voice.

As she continues performing, her list of musical collaborators continues to grow, including Mary J. Blige, Al Green, Paul McCartney, Preservation Hall Jazz Band (also playing the Arvada Center on August 25!), Questlove, RZA, Tyler the Creator, Stevie Wonder and more. To hear this powerful musician live, visit the webpage and purchase your tickets for her August 9 show at the Arvada Center.