Corinne Bailey Rae - 'Corinne Bailey Rae' (EMI) Released 27/02/06

This album's cover is littered with butterflies and hand drawn pictures of flowers, just in case you got it mixed up with that of a heavy metal singer. Boys might struggle to pick up a copy, luckily for them they can turn to downloading. But to describe Corinne Bailey Rae's debut album as merely pretty or just a girly version of the raft of male singer/songwriters would be doing the whole thing a disservice. As a singer songwriter the Leeds lass has tricks up her sleeve galore and a stunning set of songs to boot. Simple and stripped bare Rae's voice has a haunting quality which literally sends shivers up your spine. It's most clear on first single 'Like A Star' which did its requisite business on Radio One, with Jo Whiley prattling on about it (but don't let that put you off). The hot new thing lists generally fill me with dread as the select few are paraded around and handed to the waiting public on a plate. This year Rae is on all of those lists, but with good reason.

Her voice has an effortless quality to it, which belies her age and puts you in mind of some of the great female singers that have gone before her. The press release announces that "her name is Corinne Bailey Rae, and she was born to do this". Ignoring the Craig David overtones of that statement, you can't help but agree with the sentiment. From her years singing in church in Leeds which mixed Primal Scream tunes with more traditional hymns, the 26-year-old has a musical background that reveals a healthy love of music and songwriting.

In the depths of winter, Rae's album is a warm pair of arms willing you on to fall in love, or just live. Because she's a reluctant lover, who is interested in all sides of our relationships and all the different faces of love, as seen on 'Trouble Sleeping'. Other songs like current single ‘Put Your Records On’ just revel in the joy of music and dancing along to your favourite song. This might be the debut from Rae but it is clear with her ability to mix funkier tunes with mellow melodies that she is here for the long haul and we can only marvel at the way she’ll grow.

Girls, and boys, put this record on.