Corinne Bailey Rae Performs Stunning Career-Spanning Set for Billboard U.K. Live at Manchester’s Aviva Studios
Corinne Bailey Rae captivated fans at a recent Billboard U.K. Live event held at the Aviva Studios in Manchester on December 2, 2023. This intimate showcase, part of Billboard U.K.’s ongoing series of events, included a fan-led Q&A session followed by a live performance that spanned her two-decade career. Attendees were treated to an exclusive opportunity to engage with the artist, who reflected on her journey since the release of her self-titled debut album, which topped the U.K. Official Albums Chart and reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200. The event was free for fans, with tickets allocated through a ballot, allowing them to experience the vibrant atmosphere of the multi-purpose venue, a cornerstone of Manchester’s music and arts scene.
During the Q&A with Billboard U.K. editor Thomas Smith, Bailey Rae shared insights into her creative process and the diverse influences that shaped her music. She described her debut album as a “distillation” of her upbringing, highlighting her eclectic musical background influenced by her father’s Caribbean roots and her experiences in indie bands and jazz circles. Fans also engaged her on topics such as her collaborations with legends like Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder, the impact of motherhood on her artistry, and her aspirations for the future. The event culminated in a heartfelt surprise presentation of a commemorative print of her recent Billboard U.K. cover, honoring her contributions to music.
Bailey Rae’s hour-long performance featured a mix of beloved classics and new material, starting with “Bring Me To The Moon” and “Closer,” and including hits like “Breathless” and “Put Your Records On.” She also introduced her latest work, including the punk-rock track “New York Transit Queen,” inspired by a striking photograph of journalist Audrey Smaltz. As she wrapped up the show with “Like A Star,” she expressed her desire to spread love, peace, and hope through her music, hinting at exciting new projects on the horizon. This event not only celebrated Bailey Rae’s illustrious career but also reinforced the importance of intimate live music experiences, as Billboard U.K. continues to connect artists with their fans in meaningful ways. Stay tuned for more events from Billboard U.K. Live, as they bring unique musical experiences to audiences across the country.
Corinne Bailey Rae
stunned the crowd at a
Billboard U.K. Live
event at Aviva Studios in Manchester last week (Dec. 2).
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The intimate showcase at the venue, home of Factory International, saw an exclusive fan-led Q&A before a career-spanning live performance by Bailey Rae and her band.
The event was the latest in-person experience held by
Billboard U.K.
following the
takeover
at The Great Escape in Brighton this past May, and the Global Power Players
celebration
at SXSW London in June.
Tickets for the event at Aviva Studios were free for attendees and allocated via a ballot. Fans were able to enjoy the multi-purpose venue –
a crucial part of the city’s
vibrant music, arts and culture scene – before entering the main auditorium.
Corinne Bailey Rae with Billboard U.K.’s Thomas Smith
Sophia Carey for Billboard UK
Bailey Rae took part in an exclusive Q&A with
Thomas Smith
, Billboard U.K.’s editor, prior to her performance. Fans provided the questions which saw Bailey Rae reflect on her 20 years in the music industry following the release of her self-titled debut album
Corinne Bailey Rae,
which hit No. 1 on the U.K. Official Albums Chart and No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
“It felt really outside of time, it felt like it was a distillation that I’d grown up with,” she told the crowd reflecting on the period she spent writing her debut LP. “I’d grown up in a household where my dad was from Saint Kitts and I had all these different musical influences. Then I was in an indie band called Helen then all the way through my university, I was meeting all these great jazz performers. Making that record felt like a retreat away from people and into my own world, but with those inspirations.”
Corinne Bailey Rae with Elizabeth Crisante, Tom Whiteside and Thomas Smith.
Sophia Carey for Billboard UK
Fans also used the opportunity to discuss her collaborations with Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder, how motherhood has inspired her creativity in recent years, how she finds light in the dark, and her dream Christmas Eve dinner party guestlist. Bailey Rae was then surprised with a commemorative print of her recent
Billboard U.K.
cover, presented by
Elizabeth Crisante
,
Billboard U.K.
’s chief commercial officer, and
Tom Whiteside
, head of sponsorship at Aviva.
Taking to the stage with her four-piece backing band, Bailey Rae promised “some old, some new and your favorite songs” in the course of her hour-long performance. She opened with “Bring Me To The Moon” and “Closer” before playing hits from that debut LP such as “Breathless” and “Till It Happens to You.”
Corinne Bailey Rae
Sophia Carey for Billboard UK
Prior to performing “New York Transit Queen,” she spoke about model and journalist Audrey Smaltz, the inspiration behind the
Black Rainbows
track, and why a photo of Smaltz pushed her to write the raucous punk-rock track. “I saw this photo of this young Black woman. She was holding onto a fire engine looking over her shoulder with a particular look in her eye, I thought, ‘Who is this hell raiser?’”
Following a number of cuts from
Black Rainbows
, including the funk-inspired “Earthlings,” she rounded up the hour-long performance with two of her biggest songs, “Put Your Records On” and “Like A Star,” the song that instigated her breakout period. Closing the show, she said that she wanted to “bring more love, peace and hope” to the world and those are “the things that are inspiring me right now” as she works on new music.
Corinne Bailey Rae
Sophia Carey for Billboard UK
Billboard U.K. Live is a regular live showcase featuring intimate shows and exclusive experiences with fans. Stay tuned to
uk.billboard.com
for news of upcoming editions.
Corinne Bailey Rae performed
:
“Been To The Moon”
“Closer”
“Breathless”
“Till It Happens To You”
“Paris Nights / New York Mornings”
“New York Transit Queen”
“He Will Follow You With Your Eyes”
“Earthlings”
“Put Your Records On”
“Like A Star”
