When India.Arie first debuted her music to the world on 2001’s
Acoustic Soul, she was seen as a welcome change within the music
industry. Existing slightly inside of the neo-soul box but far away
from the pillow-talk R&B of the time, Arie’s songs spoke of black
love and self-love in a way that touched consumers young and old enough
to eventually take the album triple platinum. The Denver native, who
spent much of her adolescence in Atlanta, is a talented vocalist and
guitarist who writes most of her own songs. Her latest disc,
Testimony: Vol. 2: Love & Politics, hit stores in
February, and while it doesn’t have a single on it as catchy as “Brown
Skin” or “I Am Not My Hair,” “Chocolate High” (featuring Musiq
Soulchild) is a jazzy, modern-soul hit. Other jams on the album include
“Therapy,” with Gramps of reggae group Morgan Heritage, and “Better
Way,” featuring bluesman Keb’ Mo’. Anyone who likes hard-hitting
R&B and soul — hold the cheesy baby-come-hither lyrics
— will approve.
This article appears in May 21-27, 2009.