Corinne Bailey Rae has just released her first children’s book, named after her Grammy-nominated 2006 hit, “Put Your Records On.” The book is more than just the song’s lyrics with some illustrations added: It’s a sweet story about a girl named Bea who discovers music via her great aunt Portia.
“The last thing I wanted to do was just make a sort of illustrated version of the song,” Corinne tells ABC Audio, adding, “I wanted it to tell something of my own story…what it was like being a young person and…getting into my dad’s record collection.”
In the book, Portia helps Bea discover classics by Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley and Harry Belafonte, all songs that are some of Corinne’s real-life favorites.
Corinne, the mother of two young daughters, says she wanted to share their work with the younger generation.
“That’s a great thing about having kids: When you play them a song, you know it’s the first time they’ve ever heard it…and then to see them going crazy straight away to something that you’ve known for years is just brilliant!” she says.
She adds that Portia also shows Bea how music “can be a friend.”
“That’s really what the heart of the book is. How music can hold you ..and all these different emotions,” she explains. “It’s not just something on in the background. It’s something that…is going to help shape your life, change your life…save your life, even.”
In May, Corinne will celebrate 20 years of “Put Your Records On” with a tour in which she’ll play her self-titled debut album in full.
“I don’t think I’ve sat down and listened to that whole record in 20 years,” Corinne reveals. “So I think that’ll be an interesting thing to do.”
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