FCN 05/22/2001
The Queen's Scene
Acoustic Soul
India.Arie hits strong notes with debut release
by Michelle Muhammad
She
has been called a cross between Lauryn Hill and Nina Simone. Others have likened
her to Iyanla Vanzant set to music. Whatever you decide to call her, make sure
that you put pure talent behind it.
In an industry that is now finding out how lucrative it is to manufacture "conscious" rappers and singers who still have subtle suggestions and innuendo�s about sex and occasional drug use in their songs, India.Arie is a breath of fresh air. She even plays acoustic guitar and writes her own songs.
A contender for the "queen of consciousness" title, India.Arie�s debut hit "Video" is the anthem of self-acceptance for the Black woman in a world where so much emphasis is put on a woman�s body but not her mind.
The world was first introduced to India via the song "Always In My Head" which was featured on the soundtrack for Spike Lee�s movie "Bamboozled." As a matter of fact, she was hand-picked by Spike Lee to appear in it. She had attracted the attention of Motown President Kedar Massenburg�who discovered both Erykah Badu and D�Angelo�prior to her being put on the soundtrack. Massenburg signed India.Arie because her lyrics seek to inspire others. "Her songs give women pride and a higher purpose," he says.
"I�m not your average girl from the video/ And I ain�t built like a supermodel/ But I learned to love myself unconditionally/ Because I am a queen."
"The song talks about being an unconventionally beautiful woman," says India.Arie about her hit song. "Someone who is dynamic and beautiful in a different way."
On "Brown Skin," the ode to Black men everywhere, she expresses her love and desire to be with the brothers only.
The song "Back To The Middle" is all about self-discovery that she says is autobiographical. The lyrics go like this: "She is 25/ Spent over half of her life/ So afraid to speak her mind/ It�s such a shame, �cause oh what a brilliant mind she has .../ When will she learn to come back to the middle?" The song represents India finding a place where she could feel comfortable with herself and her own decisions�a place that began to seem lost to her as the making of her debut dragged on.
Other powerful songs include "Strength, Courage and Wisdom," "I See God in You" and "Ready for Love," among other great choices in this 16-track CD.
India.Arie now joins the ranks of artist like Erykah Badu, Musiq Soulchild, Lucy Pearl, Macy Gray, D�Angelo and Jill Scott in pioneering the new R&B, called Neo-soul or Neo-classic soul. These artists are considered the inheritors of the R&B throne once held by artist such as Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway, Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin. What India does musically cannot be compared to any other artist. Her sound is just as unique as her name. With the release of Acoustic Soul she has now opened the door through which others of her artistic demeanor can enter.
Related link: India.Arie Official Site