In 1999, a Universal/Motown music scout spotted her and made an introduction to former Motown CEO Kedar Massenburg. Co-founding the Atlanta-based independent music collective Groovement EarthShare (Groovement was the collective artists’ name and EarthShare was their independent label name), her one-song turn on a locally released compilation led to a second-stage gig at the 1998 Lilith Fair.

It was a direct result of writing songs”, she said at the press release of her debut album, Acoustic Soul. “When I started tapping into my own sensitivity, I started to understand people better. Simpson had taken up a succession of musical instruments throughout her schooling in Denver, but her interest in the guitar while attending the Savannah College of Art and Design, in Savannah, led to a personal revelation about songwriting and performing. After her parents divorced, Simpson’s mother moved the family to Atlanta, Georgia when she was thirteen. According to a DNA analysis, she descends from the Mende people of Sierra Leone, the Kru people of Liberia and the Fula people of Guinea-Bissau. Her father is a former NBA basketball player. Her mother is a former singer (she was signed to Motown as a teenager and opened for Stevie Wonder and Al Green) and is now her stylist. Her musical skills were encouraged by both parents in her younger years. THAT I’d LOVE to “shed light on”.that conversation IS REAL, …let’s keep talking.Background She was born in Denver, Colorado, the daughter of Joyce and Ralph Simpson.

Politically speaking racism/colorism in the black community is a MUUUUUUUCH larger #SongVersation #skinversaton The GLOW you see IS (magnificent) lightingĤ. i’m so in love with myself I have no DESIRE to BLEACH myself. Personally speaking! I’m happy to say I have NOT BLEACHED my skin LOL! ROTF at the thought.ġ. Love to all #SoulBirdsWorldWide are you ready for this #SongVersation ? India responded to the controversy via Facebook: The whole controversy is especially shocking since Arie is famous for songs that convey pride in her appearance, like “Brown Skin” and “I Am Not My Hair.”Īrie’s people say her lighter appearance in the photo is due to camera flash and angle. The cover photo, seen above, shows a startlingly lighter Arie compared to previous photos of the singer. R&B singer India Arie has been accused to lightening her skin for the cover art for her new single “Cocoa Butter.”

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