Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae has announced her first children’s picture book, Put Your Records On.
Titled after her 2006 hit, the book is scheduled to publish March 3, 2026, via Rocky Pond Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers.
Put Your Records On, illustrated by Gillian Eilidh O’Mara, depicts a beautiful story of a young girl, Bea, whose great aunt, Portia, introduces her to her beloved record collection tucked away in her attic. After spending time listening to a range of sounds, dancing and sharing laughs, Bea is empowered to continue learning about herself and the world through music.
“When I was a child, music helped me find myself. Through songs, I discovered that others felt what I felt,” says Bailey Rae. “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.”
Lauri Hornik, president and publisher of Rocky Pond Books, adds, “Corinne Bailey Rae is a singular talent, including now as a picture book author – her lovely story speaks volumes about the importance of both music and family to comfort and inspire.”
The release of Put Your Records On will align with the 20th anniversary of the British singer’s self-titled debut album, first released in the U.K. in February 2006, before reaching the U.S. market in June of the same year.
Corinne Bailey Rae included what would become her signature hit “Put Your Records On.” She co-wrote the uplifting anthem with the song’s producer, Steve Christianthou, and John Beck. The song reached No. 1 on the U.K.’s Hip-Hop/R&B chart and No. 6 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.
“Put Your Records On” scored Bailey Rae her first three Grammy nominations at the 49th Grammy Awards (2007). All of her nods were in the coveted General Field, including Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist.
While Bailey Rae didn’t take home any trophies, she won Album of the Year at the following ceremony for her contribution to Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters. “Like A Star,” from her debut album, also scored a nod for Song of the Year.
In 2023, Bailey Rae released her album Black Rainbows via Thirty Tigers. The genre-transcending project — which blended elements of soul, punk, grunge, jazz and pop — was inspired by artworks collected by Theaster Gates at the Stony Island Arts Bank in Chicago.
“The record represents so much to me – the culture, the pain, the beauty, and the artistic presence of the stories that inhabit the #StonyIslandArtsBank. Stories I was never aware of; stories that are deeply a part of black history,” Bailey Rae shared.
Black Rainbows included the “New York Transit Queen,” which paid homage to Audrey Smaltz, who won the New Transit Queen competition in 2024, and “Peach Velvet Sky,” which was a tribute to Harriet Jacobs, an autobiographer and abolitionist who was born a slave in 1813 and escaped to the North in 1842.
Most recently, Bailey Rae collaborated with Eric Benét on “Fly Away,” which appeared on his 2024 Duets EP and was included on his full-length album, The Co-Star, which dropped in early June.
Preorder Corinne Bailey Rae’s new picture book Put Your Records On here.
