Corinne Bailey Rae’s ‘rebirth’

Corinne Bailey Rae experienced a "rebirth" after the death of her husband.

The ‘Put Your Records On’ hitmaker was left devastated when Jason Rae died from an accidental overdose eight years ago and found that after his passing, she had to rediscover who she was away from her spouse.

She told Grazia magazine: "When you’re married, so much of what you do is collapsing the space between you.

"There was a lot of unpicking of what I actually liked. I realised I’d been sitting through certain comedies I didn’t even like, or that I had avoided certain foods because he didn’t like them. It’s a total rebirth of who you are."

And the 37-year-old singer – who went on to marry old friend Steve Brown in 2013 after two years of dating – no longer feels "defined" by the tragedy.

She told Grazia magazine: "Two years ago, I couldn’t imagine how anyone, even a friend, could understand me without me explaining everything and what Jase was like.

"But I’ve stopped using what happened as this big thing about my life. Losing him doesn’t define me anymore."

Part of the reason why Corinne has been able to move on is her relationship with Steve, because it gave her a fresh start.

She said: "The only guilt you feel is when you’re living and the other person isn’t.

"But Steve is a one-off – kind, tenacious, intelligent.

"Falling in love again felt like a brand new, amazing thing.

"But that’s the thing about love. It just sort of seeps in then eventually its everywhere."