Put This Record On: Corinne Bailey Rae

April 8 2010, Published 9:02 a.m. ET

With her 2006 self-titled debut, neo-soul songstress Corinne Bailey Rae nabbed four Grammy nominations and sold two million records, thanks to her catchy single “Put Your Records On.”

She’s been through a lot since her last album, including the accidental death of her husband of seven years, musician Jason Rae, in March 2008. Healing from her tragic loss, she penned a diverse new batch of songs about love, loss, despair and hope.

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Corinne’s new album, The Sea, entered The Billboard 200 in the Top 10. The British songbird says she was going for a “heavier, more aggressive, more dynamic record that would have more contrast” than her debut.

“I write songs that I feel are honest,” Corinne has said of her heart-on-her-sleeve approach to songwriting. “It would be difficult for me to write a song if it was about something I didn’t know or hadn’t experienced.”

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And now, Corinne is looking forward to taking these new songs on the road, kicking off her U.S. tour this week. “It’s still amazing that when you play a new record, people actually know it because they’ve been listening,” Corinne has said. “And every time I play these songs I feel like I’m learning new things about them and myself.”

She says she’s most excited about playing live in the desert at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on April 17. “I like that idea of a hippie festival where there is this temporary community and I like being part of that,” she said. “And I like that people can see you by accident.”