British singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae has spoken candidly about the intense media scrutiny she faced following the tragic death of her first husband, musician Jason Rae, in 2008, per music-news.com.
The Put Your Records On singer opened up in a recent interview with Billboard about navigating a period of rising fame during an intensely difficult personal time.
Corinne, now 46, shared that she felt “lucky” to be surrounded by “good people” in the aftermath of Jason’s passing.
“It was a very aggressive time journalistically, but I just feel really lucky that I’ve had good people around me,” she stated.
She also reflected on the volatile media climate surrounding celebrities at the time, referencing her friendship with the late Amy Winehouse.
“I knew Amy and that was really frightening to see that side of people, and to see the vulnerability of going from being a cool jazz singer, to the biggest thing in British pop music,” she told the publication. “That is not a place you desire to be – no one wants to be there.”
The star further lamented what she perceives as a persistent desire in the UK to tear down successful figures, particularly women. “Plus, there was a need to tear down successful people in this country, which has been so strong for years, and it was definitely like that for women at that time,” she continued.
Corinne met professional jazz saxophonist Jason Rae when she was 19. The couple married in 2001. Jason died in March 2008 at the age of 32 from an accidental overdose of methadone and alcohol.
Corinne Bailey Rae married her longtime friend, fellow jazz musician Steven Brown, in 2013. They share two daughters.
