Leeds songbird celebrates 20th anniversary of debut album with special concert date

Corinne Bailey Rae’s debut album went straight to number 1 in the UK when it was released in February 2006 and produced timeless global hits like ‘Put Your Records On’ and ‘Like A Star’, earning critical praise, multi-platinum sales, and Brit Award and Grammy nominations.

Two decades on, the album’s warm blend of soul, pop, and jazz remains a touchstone for listeners and a defining moment in mid-2000s music.

In celebration of the anniversary next year Corinne Bailey Rae will be performing the album in full at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.

The show will also include hits from her further three albums – The Sea, The Heart Speaks In Whispers and Black Rainbows – all of which have been garlanded with critical praise around the world, including two Mercury Prize nominations in the UK.

Corinne Bailey Rae said: “2026! 20 years since my first album! The songs on that record were moments from my life, and those songs went on to change my life, forever. I love them and can’t wait to perform all of them in this magical venue. I’ve always wanted to perform at The Royal Albert Hall with my own show. It’s an iconic building and I’m honoured to be revisiting my debut album in this grand setting.“

The concert will see support from singer Laura Mvula.

“I love Laura Mvula and we have performed with one another several times. I love her presence, said Corinne. “This will be a special night for me. I hope you can join us in celebrating my debut album and 20 years of my career in music.”

Tickets are available for pre-sale from today (November 5), with general on-sale from Friday, November 7, via this link.

Your Yorkshire Evening Post has followed Corinne’s path to music stardom from the start - when she was a member of all girl pop trio Helen in the late 1990s.

Her solo career has seen Corinne receive six Grammy nominations, winning twice including for Best R&B Performance, alongside 2 MOBO awards, multiple Brit Award nominations and a BET Award as Best International Act. She has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Mary J.Blige, Al Green, Herbie Hancock, KING, Paul McCartney, Kele Okereke, Eric Benet, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Questlove, Salaam Rami, RZA, Tyler and The Creator.

She has, to date, sold more than 10 million albums, and ‘Put Your Records On’ has chalked up over 1 billion streams in recent years.

That song has proved the inspiration for the forthcoming children’s book of the same name.

The picture book, written by Corinne Bailey Rae with illustrations by Gillian Eilidh O’Mara, celebrates music's unique power to soothe or energise us when we need it most and encourages children to know that they’re not alone in their emotions.

The book will be released in paperback in the UK on March 3, 2026, through Fox And Ink, with an initial print-run of 150,000 copies and is available for pre-order.

Corinne Bailey Rae is performing at the National Book Awards in New York on Wednesday, November 19, which will be broadcast live. She will also be performing a very special show at AVIVA Studios in Manchester on Tuesday, December 2, in association with Billboard UK to celebrate their upcoming cover feature with her.

A live album of her acclaimed orchestral performance of Black Rainbows earlier this year at London’s Roundhouse is due to be released in late 2026. Additionally a feature-length documentary about Black Rainbows and the inspirations behind it will be released globally in the late spring of 2026.