Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - November 24, 2007
Christina Kennedy

For a hip young artist, who's the toast of the international music scene, this is just another in a saint's load of worthy causes she has adopted.

At the last count, Bailey Rae supported campaigns such as Amnesty International and Live Earth, as well as a multitude of causes highlighting domestic violence, the trafficking of sex workers, the plight of Darfur's refugees, peace, the environment and human rights atrocities.

But for this 28-year-old star, celebrity activism is not a matter of pursuing charitable causes because it's the "in thing".

"I have always been aware of social issues, local and global," she explains in an e-mail interview from Scarborough, on the UK Yorkshire coast, where she is recording her much-anticipated second album.

"I would have been looking for ways to support these [causes], even if I had not chosen a career in music - but one of the great benefits of having a successful record is that I'm able to use the platform it provides to increase my involvement."

The past two years have been a "whirlwind" for Bailey Rae, born of a West Indian father and British mother. Since the release of her self-titled debut album, this English literature graduate has clocked up unprecedented success in the UK and in the US.

Her album made history by entering the Billboard chart at number 17, the highest ever chart debut for a UK artist in the US. In addition to selling four million albums, she has won a host of awards and scooped three Grammy nominations.

The Like a Star singer, who was shocked by her global success, says: "But, on the other hand, I worked really hard promoting the album, with a huge amount of travelling and promo, and hundreds of live shows ... You really can't just go to America as a tourist and expect to have a hit record."

She recorded the video for her hit single Put Your Records On in Cape Town, back when she was a relative unknown.

"I loved my first trip to South Africa ... It was great fun, and we used all local people in the video."

She is thrilled at the prospect of meeting Mandela and describes the opportunity to perform at the concert as "an amazing honour".

Intriguingly for an artist who is known for her chilled-out, bluesy style that has been likened to Billie Holliday, Erykah Badu and India.Arie, Bailey Rae was initially into rock 'n roll, especially Led Zeppelin. As a teen in Leeds, she even had her own short-lived indie rock band called Helen.

She remains committed to being a celebrity with a cause - or several of them. "Time is the problem," she confesses. "I have to prioritise my work and my career, but I do as much as I feel I can, and it's an important balance for me to maintain."

*** Catch Corinne Bailey Rae at the 46664 concert at Ellis Park on December 1 from 2pm, alongside Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox, Ludacris, the Goo Goo Dolls, Jamelia and Angelique Kidjo, as well as a host of local musicians. Tickets range from R130 to R466 and are available at Computicket.

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