Corinne Bailey Rae's New Album, The Sea, Coming Jan. 26

Four years and four million album sales after her award-winning, self-titled debut, Corinne Bailey Rae is back for round two with The Sea. The 30-year-old British singer plans to appear on five national TV shows to spread the word about her new album, beginning with TODAY on Jan. 26 (the very same day her record hits stores).

Rae’s 2006 debut snagged the singer three Grammy Award nominations, and she quickly began working on a follow-up. Things came to a screeching halt, however, when Rae’s husband, fellow musician Jason Rae, died unexpectedly in 2008. Now Rae is back after a two-year hiatus from the music scene with an album that, among other emotions, emanates the pain she’s experienced. “I wanted to be open,” she said in a recent statement. “I’m really aware that I can’t hide any of my feelings. With music I feel like it’s the one time when I don’t have to think and I don’t have to contrive anything. So that’s how this record turned out. It’s not contrived. It’s just open.”

Fans should be prepared for a new sound from Rae this time around. According to its maker, The Sea comes complete with melancholy lyrics and richer sounds than the poppier Corinne Bailey Rae. “It’s a different record than the first one, so I’m imagining that some of the people who liked that album will like this one, and some of them won’t,” Rae said. “But hopefully, some of the people that didn’t like the first record will like this record.”

Fans who pre-order the album from the iTunes Music Store will receive two bonus tracks.

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