Corinne Bailey Rae’s first children’s book, ‘Put Your Records On,’ draws upon her musical past

By HILLEL ITALIE
AP National Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Corinne Bailey Rae is working on a children’s picture book that draws upon her early memories of music.

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has a deal with Rocky Pond Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, for “Put Your Records On.” Named for her signature hit and illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O’Mara, the book is scheduled to come out March 3, 2026, and tells the story of a young girl’s initiation into her great aunt’s record collection.

“When I was a child, music helped me find myself. Through songs I discovered that others felt what I felt,” Rae said in a statement released Wednesday. “Playing music grew my confidence and writing and performing my own music allowed me to fully express myself. I want every child to know that they have music in their heart and a voice that should be heard.”

Rae, 46, has sold millions of records worldwide and won two Grammys — as a contributor to Herbie Hancock’s 2007 tribute album to Joni Mitchell, “River,” and for her cover in 2011 of Bob Marley & The Wailer’s “Is This Love.”