Corinne Bailey Rae

A friend recently described Corinne Bailey Rae, who's touring with John Legend, as a black musician being marketed to white people who don't really like black music -- and while this observation is as politically incorrect as it can be, it's not entirely unfounded. Although "Put Your Records On," the...

By Michael Roberts

April 5, 2007

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A friend recently described Corinne Bailey Rae, who's touring with John Legend, as a black musician being marketed to white people who don't really like black music -- and while this observation is as politically incorrect as it can be, it's not entirely unfounded. Although "Put Your Records On," the signature single from Rae's self-titled 2006 debut, has a soulful sheen, it's entirely grit-free, with a melody that puts few demands on the listener and a vocal that's seemingly designed for the speakers at the nearest Starbucks. (Odds are good you're either sitting in one right now or less than ten feet away.) No wonder Rae wound up with three Grammy nominations -- and while she didn't rack up any victories, the blame belongs to the Dixie Chicks and Carrie Underwood, not her. If she wants to be around for the long haul, though, she'd be well advised to dig deeper next time around. White people who don't really like black music may object, but what the hell do they know about soul?

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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