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Originally Posted: March 2006
Dubbed by BBC Radio as one of the top artists to watch in 2006, Corinne Bailey Rae’s quiet EP made anything but a quiet debut. Her album was released in the UK on the 27th of February, and is on its way across the pond. Right now, Rae is on her way to Texas for SXSW. Being hailed as “the next Billie Holiday” by some, this 26-year old chanteuse has more music experience under her belt than many musical acts out there right now.
Born in Leeds, UK to a West Indian father and Yorkshire mother, Rae got her start where many soul singers get their starts – the church:
“I started off singing in church, I suppose, but people think it must have been a gospel church because of the whole, you know, black assumption,” she says in reference to her mixed-race background. “But it wasn’t gospel at all, it was just your regular brethren church, very middle-class, where we would sing these harmonies every Sunday. It was always my favourite part of the service, the singing.”
At the age of 15, Rae and some friends started an all-girl punk band called Helen, which gained some attention among the London indie punk scene, but was ill-fated and did not last very long. While attending Leeds University, she worked at a jazz nightclub as a hatcheck girl. On occasion, she was allowed to sing with the band. This would lead to her being signed by EMI Records last year. She has come a long way.

Because of this eclectic background in music, Corinne Bailey Rae’s talent goes beyond her singing voice. She has successfully managed to create a sound that appeals to a wide audience. She has more than enough soul to appeal to the Billie Holiday crowd while at the same time being cute and quirky enough to make Massive Attack listeners take pause. Surely the neo-soul movement of Erykah Badu and Jill Scott will want to claim her as their own as well. Her sound is definitely reminiscent of classic songstresses like Holiday or Scott or Beth Orton or even Mary J. Blige.
She combines soul and pop, adds a dash of church music and creates a style uniquely her own. With Britain’s “urban” R&B and soul scene on the rise, artists like Lemar are getting more notice. While Rae can fit into this genre, she is separating herself into her own category.
Tracks like “Enchantment,” “Trouble Sleeping,” or “Put Your Records On” have that R&B/pop quality that will make you nod your head and move your hips, while the song “Like A Star” is more soft, more girl-and-her-guitar-meets-sultry-jazz-vixen.
If her EP is any indication as to how her soon to be released album will sound, then Corinne Bailey Rae is certainly on the right track. This rising star really is someone to watch in 2006.
NOTE: Also, get an MP3 from Stone’s previous post on Corinne Bailey Rae.
Since the Couch Sessions crew will be busy this week in Austin for SXSW–with little time to blog–we decided that this was the perfect time to highlight some of the best interviews, posts and podcasts that we’ve ever dropped on the site in our 5 years of existence. We’ve dug through the archives to find some of the very best content imaginable, showcasing some posts that you have grown to love, as well as some that you might have missed.
We will be back on Monday, March 22nd with a full roundup of the SXSW madness, including our showcase which takes place Wednesday, March 17th.
This Remy Shand post is still one of the most popular posts we’ve ever did, and gets comments even to this day. Remy, where are you??

Originally Posted: February 2006
Remember Remy Shand?
In 2001, Shand dropped The Way I Feel on Motown, which he recorded in his Winnepeg, Canada bedroom. The first single, “Take A Message,” got a considerable amount of airplay on MTV2 and Much Music (back when I got Much on my cable box).
Most of the songs on “Take A Message” were written when the dude was still in high school, and they draw the new comparisons to Stevie Wonder, Al Green, and Marvin Gaye. This album was a rare gem with tracks such as “Take A Message” and “Rocksteady” that embraced the soul masters without trying to copy them.
Shand got some cred from the likes of Esthero, Badu, D’Angelo, and others. Although the album went platinum in his native Canada, lack of radio airplay and label promotion sent Take A Message to the discount bin in the US.
His website lists that his last appearance was in 2003. Let’s pray to God that he’s producing music somewhere and not working at a McDonald’s. Can y’all Canadians clue us in on what’s goin’ on with this dude? Someone needs to ressurect this dude’s career like Robin Thicke.
Originally Posted: March 2006
Dubbed by BBC Radio as one of the top artists to watch in 2006, Corinne Bailey Rae’s quiet EP made anything but a quiet debut. Her album was released in the UK on the 27th of February, and is on its way across the pond. Right now, [...]
Since the Couch Sessions crew will be busy this week in Austin for SXSW–with little time to blog–we decided that this was the perfect time to highlight some of the best interviews, posts and podcasts that we’ve ever dropped on the site in our 5 years [...]
Since the Couch Sessions crew will be busy this week in Austin for SXSW–with little time to blog–we decided that this was the perfect time to highlight some of the best interviews, posts and podcasts that we’ve ever dropped on the site in our 5 years of existence. We’ve dug through the archives to find [...]
Since the Couch Sessions crew will be busy this week in Austin for SXSW–with little time to blog–we decided that this was the perfect time to highlight some of the best interviews, posts and podcasts that we’ve ever dropped on the site in our 5 years of existence. We’ve dug through [...]
Last week saw the opening for the G40 Summit, Art Whino’s huge 5-floor art exhibit spanning an enormous array of diverse artists (500+!). Going to the show’s opening party, last Saturday, was pretty much sensory overload. Just entering there the reception floor there was music blasting, multiple wall murals, live art/paintings, screen printing on it [...]
Basketball heads – set your DVR’s. ESPN is set to air a dope documentary called “Winning Time”, a film about Reggie Miller and the devastating heartbreak he and the Indiana Pacers repeatedly served to the New York Knicks during the 90’s.
Directed by Dan Klores with commentary from everyone from Spike Lee to Patrick Ewing, Winning Time will air as part [...]
I know everyone has seen Pharrell rocking these studded Christian Louboutin sneakers that are extremely expensive. Personally, I’m not too much into my man rocking bedazzled sneakers or him coughing up $1200 on a pair (that $1200 bucks could go towards a new Gucci bag for me!). So I went out on a hunt to find [...]
US graphic artist Travis Coburn was tapped to do several film-noir inspired movie posters for the upcoming BAFTA Film Awards (the UK version of the Oscars). Inspired from 40s comic books, Travis’ has worked with everybody from Time Magazine to American Express.
I especially love the Hurt Locker poster that looks like a sci-fi film (I [...]
Photos by Tashir Lee
Brand Nubian needs no introduction. The crew of Grand Puba, Sadat X, and Lord Jamar are a part of hip-hop royalty. Last Saturday, the crew came into DC and rocked it for a rare show at Liv Nightlcub as part of their Hip-Hop Livs night. Local purveyors of thought The Cornel West [...]
Flyer Design by Neil MacLean. Please support.
RSVP HERE: tinyurl.com/sxswwed| SXSW Badges Welcome
The Senari x Couch Sessions Showcase is upon us! After several months of work, we’re proud to announce one of the best, and most diverse showcases that the SXSW Music Festival has ever seen.
Headlining the showcase is New York’s own Cubic Zirconia featuring Tiombe [...]
GO TO THIS!!!
Photos by Joann Gomez/Music Looks Like This. Please Support.
The 3rd annual Roots Holiday Jam went down this past weekend at BB Kings in New York City. In addition to the legendary Roots crew, the stage was graced by the cast of the hit Broadway Musical Fela, Brother Ali, The Hynotic Brass Ensemble, and surprise guest [...]
“Do you think my cheeks look fat?”
That’s the first question that the UK pop/soul sensation VV Brown asks after our video interview. I’m not going to lie. It’s a shock for this writer to see this 5 foot 9 inch model so worried about her appearance. But those tiny moments are [...]
DOWNLOAD INTERVIEW HERE…
Photo provided by FroLab
If you’re in Los Angeles this weekend, do yourself a favor and head over to the HVW8 Art & Design Galley, right off of Melrose Avenue. Enter the small, square shaped gallery and you will find Mos Def: Ecstatic Moments, a collection of photographs from the past two years of Mos’ [...]
Common always seems to be a few years ahead of his time. The Chicago MC was once scolded by the hip-hop community for his more adventitious projects–Electric Circus and Universal Mind Control–however now it’s almost the norm for hip-hop artists to rhyme over electro beats. Ever forward thinking and innovative, the MC has not only [...]