CORINNE BAILEY RAE

How love songs from the past pointed her to the future

You can trace the creative renaissance of Corinne Bailey Rae back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The Grammy-nominated English singer and songwriter performed last summer at a White House concert honoring Paul McCartney, recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize. Her soulful take on McCartney’s “My Love” is now a highlight of her new digital-only release The Love EP, featuring her takes on five classic love songs. After trying the tunes out on a three-month American tour last year, Bailey Rae stepped into the studio to recreate the energy and passion of her live performances. “This EP really was inspired by the tour and all these great adventures I’ve had,” she says. “The musicians have always challenged me and I’m constantly learning from them. There’s so much that’s fun and beautiful and artistic in the natural world, and I want to share that in the music.”

Bailey Rae’s most recent full album, The Sea, was largely inspired by husband Jason Rae’s 2008 death. The tragedy gave her a sense of perspective, spurring her to recommit to following her artistic impulses.  “I feel like I’m starting to take more risks,” Bailey Rae says. “I want to be braver with the production. I’m looking to do things that are edgier and more melodic. I want to be a little looser and try to be slightly more experimental with the music.” After serving as co-producer and principal writer on The Sea, the opportunity to interpret the songs of others gave her renewed purpose and perspective on her own craft. “I’ve learned so much from hearing these fantastic songs,” Bailey Rae says. “I want to write songs that are emotional and tell a good story and have a nice visual.”

For the most part The Love EP strengthens Bailey Rae’s reputation as a graceful ingénue who trades in simple, understated melodies—but then there is the surprising opening number, a romping rendition of Prince’s risqué 1979 breakthrough hit “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” Bailey Rae, who refashions the track with her frisky, lighthearted performance, turns bashful when discussing her longtime idol. “Prince has such a cheeky way of writing and singing about his sexuality,” she says. “I don’t have his type of control—he’s such a virtuosic musician. But I’m always trying to do better, and every so often I have these happy accidents.”

–Blake Boldt

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