Neo-soul songstress Corinne Bailey Rae was born in Leeds, England, in 1979 to a British mother and West Indian father. Displaying an interest in music from an early age, Rae studied classical violin until she acquired an electric guitar in her early teens. Inspired by such ’90s alt-rock icons as L7, Veruca Salt, and others, Rae formed her first band, the all-female indie rock outfit Helen. Despite developing a strong local following, the band ultimately folded and Rae enrolled at Leeds University to study English literature. While at school, a job at a jazz club inspired her more soul-oriented leanings, and she began writing songs. Eventually, she scored a record deal with EMI and released her hit self-titled debut solo album in 2006. A year later, both an expanded edition of the album with a bonus disc and the CD/DVD set Live in London and New York appeared. The recording of The Sea, released in 2010, was heavily affected by the March 2008 death of her husband, Jason Rae, a saxophonist for the Haggis Horns. She followed the release with January 2011’s considerably lighter The Love EP, a five-song set that covered songs originally recorded by the likes of Prince, Bob Marley, and Paul McCartney and Wings. More recently, in 2016, Rae released The Heart Speaks in Whispers. Corinne Bailey Rae croons all over the world.