Why India.Arie is not your average new girl singer

Jet, Jan 28, 2002 by Clarence Waldron

New singers come along every day, but there's something special, something different about new singer India.Arie.

She is proving that she is not your average new girl singer with her million-selling album Acoustic Soul with the big hits Video, Brown Skin and Strength, Courage and Wisdom.

This 26-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist has a sound, style and a feel in her music that is all her own. You can't help but feel good about yourself and what you can become after listening to her uplifting, warm music.

She pushes for serf-esteem and self-love on Video, telling her listeners: "I'm not the average girl from your video and I ain't built like a supermodel, but I learned to love myself unconditionally because I am a queen."

She celebrates Black men in Brown Skin and urges people to realize that "strength, courage and wisdom are inside of all of us" on the optimistic Strength, Courage & Wisdom.

What's more, she has swept this year's Grammy nominations--with a record seven--more than any other Black singer this year.

Her hit Video is up for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Her album is up for Album of Year and Best R&B Album. She also received a nomination as Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.

India.Arie is certainly not your average new singer with her optimistic message of self-worth and inner beauty and pride endearing her to music lovers everywhere.

The sensitive, modest singer describes the appeal of her music: "It's just a different message," she tells JET during an interview.

"Not that I am the only one bringing the message of love or spirituality. But there are only a few who are not gospel, who are not categorized as gospel and bring that spiritual energy. I think that's the difference, the message."

She adds, "My album is inspired by the power of words and knowing that the things you say are a motivational force. The more you say something, the more it creates that energy around you. The words that come from your mouth go into your ears. Speak words of beauty and you will be there."

She is thrilled with her record Grammy sweep. "The Grammy nominations have given my album a second wind, which is the best thing about the nominations right now. People are going to buy my album and all I ever wanted was to have just anyone listen. And if they like it, then like it. I don't want anyone who doesn't like it to be sold on it or bombarded with it. I just want them to listen. Now I get that chance, and that's a beautiful thing. It makes me really happy, satisfied."

She admits she is still growing into her newfound stardom. "I'm still learning about that. I'm a moody person. When I am in a certain mood, I'm just there. I don't try to change it or act differently. But now I meet a lot of people and I have to learn how to still communicate with people, openheartedly, no matter what kind of mood I'm in. That has been a real challenge," she laughs.

She continues, "I am also learning to understand what my power is. People listen to what I say--that's new. They look at what I wear and they want to know who I'm dating and all that. It's been different."

While she is not dating right now, she reveals what attracts her to a man. "My eye is attracted to brown-skinned men," she says, "but my ideal man of course, has more to do with his inner qualities, his spirituality, how he treats people, how creative he is, his love of children, being family-oriented and healthy.

"It's not that I don't have time to date, it's just that I haven't met the person who fits into my life that way. Because I will make time," she laughs. "That's not the issue, that's not the problem," she laughs again.

Born India Arie Simpson in Denver, she grew up in Atlanta. Her mother, called Simpson by the family, and her father, former NBA player Ralph Simpson, named her in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi because her birth date (Oct. 3) was close to his birthday. The singer has a brother, J'on, 28, and two half-sisters, Kamisha, 26, and Victoria, 10.

She later placed a period between "India" and "Arie" just for a different look and style.

She adds, "`Arie' was something my mom made up, but I was told later that it means `lion.'" As a youngster she sang in the school choir and studied various instruments including the sax, clarinet, and trumpet. "Both my mom and dad's side encouraged me, but once I started singing, my mom was my mentor. She grew up in Detroit when Motown was new, and taught me everything about singing and songwriting. My `formal training' was my mom saying, `Try this.'"

Today, her mom, who is a professional designer, is her stylist and designs most of her clothes. She also often joins her in concert.

She started playing the guitar while studying jewelry-making at Savannah College of Arts and Design in Georgia. "It was the first instrument I played that I could sing with."

Turning her attention to her signature song Video, she reveals that it took her a long time to realize the message of self-worth and self love she sings about. "It has taken me awhile to get to this point. I've come a long way since I was 20."