Corinne Bailey-Rae on husband's tragic death 'It’s life-shaping. It makes you realise how fragile it all is'
has opened up about the tough experience of losing her first husband, musician Jason Rae, back in 2008, sharing the impact the loss had on her life.
The Grammy Award-winning artist, 45, who has been married to current partner Steve Brown since 2013, spoke with OK! this week about the loss. Jason died suddenly at age 29, with a coroner’s report recording an accidental overdose of methadone and alcohol.
Dubbing that period of her life “a bleak, empty, hollow nothing", Corinne reflected: “I think it’ll always be present, because it was such a big experience. But it’s life-shaping, because right now, I feel so grateful for life. It makes you realise how fragile it all is.”
The star added: “You think you know everything at that age, but then you realise how it can all change. Rather than thinking, ‘I’m going to live to 100’, you have to try to do a good job while you’re here.”
Corinne says ongoing sadness helps root her in the present. “Instead of saying, ‘I’ll do that later’, you think ‘I’ll do it now’, because you won’t necessarily get the chance again. There’s a shadow, just out of view, that I’m aware of all the time. The tinge of sadness and grief is in everything, but it also makes things more special.”
Going on to find love with long-time friend Steve, who plays in her band, Corinne, who is best known for her 2006 single "Put Your Records On", now shares two daughters, six and four, with him.
Admitting that life looks less glamorous since becoming a mother, Corinne laughed: “I’ve literally been wiping a bum or breast-feeding and then going straight on stage. There are no boundaries.”
With this summer marking 20 years of being in the industry, Corinne has no plans of slowing down just yet. In the next few months, she’ll perform everywhere from Cheltenham to Glastonbury before reaching New York, Brazil and China. “It’s like a travelling circus, but I love the rhythm of touring,” she said.
Adding that it's a family affair, the star explained: “My mum joins us too, and on days off we could be on a beach in Adelaide or walking round a beautiful European city. We stay in cool places, and I like being in foodie districts so we can try new things and not just eat cardboard pizza.”
