Corinne Bailey Rae

Initially coming to fame after a poll of critics had voted her "the sound of 2006", Corinne Bailey Rae justified the high expectations of her when her debut album topped the UK album chart and quickly established her as an international star. Born in Leeds to an English mother and a father from Saint Kitts, Bailey Rae studied classical violin as a child and gained her love of singing from a Brethren church, even singing Primal Scream covers in church. Her first band was an all-female indie group called Helen, which was briefly signed to the heavy metal label Roadrunner. She went on to study English literature at the University of Leeds and worked as a check-out girl at a local jazz club, which triggered her interest jazz and made a big impact on her future vocal style - she also met her husband, saxophonist Jason Rae at the club. Embracing jazz and soul, she made her initial dent singing with Mark Hill of the duo The Artful Dodger, leading to her debut single Like A Star. Her self-titled first album in 2006 became an international phenomenon and the single Put Your Records On was a major hit. Intensive touring followed, but tragedy struck in 2008 with the death of her husband Jason. However, she returned in 2010 with a new album The Sea, including her first single for three years, I'd Do It All Again.