India.Arie

Biography

India Arie Simpson (born October 3, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter, and record producer. She rose to prominence with her debut album, Acoustic Soul×Acoustic Soul27 March 2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Intro0:502Video4:103Promises4:384Brown Skin4:565Strength, Courage & Wisdom4:586Nature4:257Back to the Middle5:118Ready for Love4:299Interlude1:2510Always in My Head4:4111I See God in You3:1812Simple3:2613Part of My Life4:0414Beautiful4:0615Outro1:2116Wonderful (Stevie Wonder Dedication)5:32 (2001), which was a commercial and critical success. She has since released the albums Voyage to India×Voyage to India30 July 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Growth1:042Little Things3:293Talk to Her5:114Slow Down3:525The Truth3:276Beautiful Surprise2:297Healing0:568Get It Together4:559Headed in the Right Direction3:2910Can I Walk With You3:5011The One3:2212Complicated Melody3:1213Gratitude1:0514Good Man3:3215God Is Real4:3716Interested4:0717Brown Skin (live)4:31 (2002), Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship (2006), Songversation (2013) and Worthy (2019). Her music blends elements of R&B, soul, and neo-soul, often incorporating themes of self-empowerment, spirituality, and social consciousness.
Arie has sold over five million records in the US and 10 million worldwide, and has won four Grammy Awards from 23 nominations, including Best R&B Album. Arie is recognized for her advocacy of positive representation in music and has participated in humanitarian and wellness initiatives. She has spoken publicly about issues related to self-acceptance, race, and cultural identity.

Background

India Arie was born in Denver, the daughter of Joyce and Ralph Simpson. Her musical skills were encouraged by both parents in her younger years. Her mother was a singer (she was signed to Motown as a teenager and opened for Stevie Wonder and Al Green) and has become Arie's stylist. Arie has an older brother named J'On and a younger sister named Mary. Arie is African-American, and according to a DNA analysis, she descends from the Mende people of Sierra Leone, the Kru of Liberia and the Fula of Guinea-Bissau.
After Arie's parents divorced, her mother moved the family to Atlanta when India was 13. Arie 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, led to a personal revelation about songwriting and performing. "When I started tapping into my own sensitivity, I started to understand people better. It was a direct result of writing songs", she said at the press release of her debut album, Acoustic Soul×Acoustic Soul27 March 2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Intro0:502Video4:103Promises4:384Brown Skin4:565Strength, Courage & Wisdom4:586Nature4:257Back to the Middle5:118Ready for Love4:299Interlude1:2510Always in My Head4:4111I See God in You3:1812Simple3:2613Part of My Life4:0414Beautiful4:0615Outro1:2116Wonderful (Stevie Wonder Dedication)5:32.
Co-founding the Atlanta-based independent music collective Government Earthseed (Government was the collective artists' name and Earthseed 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. In 1999, a Universal/Motown music scout signed her and made an introduction to former Motown CEO Kedar Massenburg. Arie resided in New York City for over a decade, before moving back to Atlanta to focus on her career and music.
Named to Oprah Winfrey's SuperSoul100 list of visionaries and influential leaders, Arie performed Songversation during 2017 motivational cruises.

Career

Arie released her debut album Acoustic Soul×Acoustic Soul27 March 2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Intro0:502Video4:103Promises4:384Brown Skin4:565Strength, Courage & Wisdom4:586Nature4:257Back to the Middle5:118Ready for Love4:299Interlude1:2510Always in My Head4:4111I See God in You3:1812Simple3:2613Part of My Life4:0414Beautiful4:0615Outro1:2116Wonderful (Stevie Wonder Dedication)5:32 on March 27, 2001. The album was met with positive reviews and commercial success. Acoustic Soul debuted at number ten on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Within months, without the concentrated radio airplay that typically powers pop and rap albums, Acoustic Soul was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling 2,180,000 copies in the U.S. and 3,000,000 copies worldwide.
The album was also certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry
and platinum by Music Canada. The album was promoted with the release of the lead single "Video×Video6 February 2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Video (radio edit)3:482Video (DJ Dodge remix)4:433Video (Urban Wolves remix)4:014Butterfly6:37". "Video" attained commercial success peaking at 47 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and becoming her highest-charting song in the region to date. The album's second single "Brown Skin×Brown Skin18 September 2001 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Brown Skin (radio edit)3:592Brown Skin (BedroomRockers remix)3:363Butterfly4:084Video (Urban Wolves/Dream Team remix)4:01" failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but it became her highest-charting single in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 29.
Arie performed a duet with rock singer-guitarist John Mellencamp on the song "Peaceful World" for his 2001 album Cuttin' Heads. While Arie and the album were nominated for seven Grammy awards in 2002, they won no awards, losing in five of seven categories to Alicia Keys. She closed the ceremony with a performance of her song "Video". Arie performed a duet with jazz singer Cassandra Wilson on the song "Just Another Parade" for her 2002 album Belly of the Sun.
Arie followed the success of her debut on September 24, 2002, with the release of Voyage to India. It debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 109,000 copies and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, with the RIAA certifying it Platinum. At the 2003 Grammy Awards, it won Best R&B Album, and the single "Little Things" won Best Urban/Alternative Performance. The song "Get It Together" was featured on many film soundtracks including Brown Sugar (2002) and Shark Tale (2004).
On September 12, 2005, Arie performed "Just 4 2day", a song written for her appearance on the debut of The Tyra Banks Show. She also performed "What About the Child", a song that did not air but was made available as a one-dollar Internet download to support child victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Arie is also featured on Stevie Wonder's album A Time to Love, released on October 18, 2005. Arie and Wonder duet on the title track "A Time to Love", written by Arie. Which was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Three years earlier, their rendition of Mel Tormé's 1944 classic "The Christmas Song", recorded for the holiday TV commercial for retailer Target, had been nominated for the same category, making it the first song created and financed exclusively for a commercial to be nominated for a Grammy Award.

The first-week sales of Arie's album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, 161,000 copies, are her best sales week to date. The album was certified gold in August 2006, selling 730,000 in US and 1,300,000 worldwide. "I Am Not My Hair×I Am Not My Hair5 December 2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1I Am Not My Hair3:50", a collaboration with Akon, was the most successful release from Testimony: Vol. 1., reaching the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at No. 97 and the UK Singles Chart at No. 65. On the April 16, 2007, episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show entitled "After Imus: Now What?", Arie guest-starred as a panelist. Arie performed a duet with singer Anthony David for his song "Words" for his 2008 album Acey Duecy.
Her next album, Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics×Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics9 February 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Intro: Grains0:482Therapy3:583Ghetto3:134Chocolate High4:455He Heals Me4:596Interlude: Grains0:567Pearls4:238River Rise3:589Yellow2:5610Better Way3:3111Interlude: Grains1:0612Long Goodbye4:0513Psalms 235:1514The Cure4:4215Outro: Grains0:3316A Beautiful Day3:5417Beautiful Flower3:52 was released on Tuesday, February 10, 2009. It debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and No. 2 on the R&B chart. Within this CD, Arie collaborated with such artists as Sezen Aksu, Keb Mo, Gramps Morgan and Musiq Soulchild to fulfill her self-proclaimed desire to "do projects with people who are making music that is meaningful, with a lot of integrity and a lot of sonic diversity". Arie also identified this CD as her first to write and sing songs without worrying about public opinion after a much-needed vacation to Hawaii. The album was her first produced and released after her departure from Motown to Universal Records. Arie performed "Video" with British singer Adele at the 2009 VH1 Divas. Arie is one of over 70 artists singing on "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti", a charity single in aid of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Arie contributed vocals to "Imagine" for the 2010 Herbie Hancock album, The Imagine Project along with Seal, Pink, Jeff Beck, Konono N°1, Oumou Sangare and others.
In the fall of 2010, she was a featured guest vocalist on Carlos Santana's version of The Beatles song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from his album Guitar Heaven. The song also features Yo-Yo Ma on cello.
In September 2012, she featured in a campaign called "30 Songs/30 Days" to support Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, a multi-platform media project inspired by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's book.
In March 2013, it was announced that Arie was working on her upcoming fifth studio album, Songversation×SongVersation24 June 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks1Soulbird (intro)0:362Just Do You3:123This Love3:554Nothing That I Love More2:535Flowers3:556Cocoa Butter3:567Soulbird Interlude: Trombone0:368Moved by You4:519Life I Know3:2310Break the Shell4:1011Soulbird Rise4:1012Thy Will Be Done4:3413Brothers' Keeper3:4314One5:2515Soulbird Outro: Clarinet0:3616I Am Light3:5217Soulbird Reprise: Ney0:3718Thank You3:44196th Avenue2:5420Strange Fruit5:26, which was released on June 25, 2013. The first single of the album, "6th Avenue×6th Avenue4 November 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track16th Avenue2:52", was released on iTunes on November 4, 2012; it was produced by India Arie and Israeli musician Idan Raichel. The second single "Cocoa Butter×Cocoa Butter9 April 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Cocoa Butter3:56" was released on iTunes on April 9, 2013.
In 2015, she released a collaborative album with musician Joe Sample titled Christmas with Friends×Christmas With Friends16 October 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks1Let It Snow2:352Favorite Time of Year3:063Silent Night3:404Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas4:365Merry Christmas Baby3:356I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm3:117The Christmas Song4:248God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen4:199Mary, Did You Know?3:2410Auld Lang Syne3:41.
In July 2016, she premiered her new single "Breathe" inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, especially Eric Garner's last words. She also announced a new album titled Worthy×Worthy15 February 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Worthy (intro)0:202What If4:383Steady Love4:224Rollercoaster4:255In Good Trouble4:076Crazy4:247Hour of Love3:258Worthy (interlude)0:249That Magic4:4010Follow the Sun3:0511We Are3:0612Coulda Shoulda Woulda4:2413Prayer for Humanity3:1214Worthy2:3715Sacred Space4:0216Worthy (outro)0:37 was in the works. She performed the single on the Soul Train Awards with host Erykah Badu in November.
In June 2017, she announced the release of her first EP SongVersation: Medicine×SongVersation: Medicine30 June 2017 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1I Am Light3:442Soulbird Rise3:203Light of the Holy Spirit3:504Give Thanks3:485Just Let It Go3:596Breathe2:527Chicken Soup in a Song2:308Life Is Good2:54 on June 30. It was preceded by the single "Breathe" and the new single "I Am Light" which was originally included on her 2013 Songversation album. She expressed that the EP was "made to be listened to in a quiet time, prayer, meditation, Yoga. My wish is that these songs bring softness, clarity, calm, and inspiration."
In September 2018, she premiered her new single "That Magic". The song serves as the lead single from her sixth studio album titled Worthy which was released on February 15, 2019.
In February 2022, Arie joined several artists to announce plans to remove her music from music service Spotify because it platformed podcast host Joe Rogan. According to media reports, Arie's planned departure from the service was motivated by Rogan's use of anti-Black language relating to race in the past. Arie’s music returned to the streaming service over a year later.

Theatre

In 2009, India Arie portrayed Nina Simone in a staged reading at the Roundabout Theatre Company of the Broadway musical Soul Doctor, about the life of Shlomo Carlebach written by Daniel Wise.

Personal life

In June 2025, it was revealed that India Arie's father had been physically and sexually abusive toward her and her mother.

Studio albums

Acoustic Soul (2001)
Voyage to India (2002)
Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship (2006)
Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics (2009)
Songversation (2013)
Christmas with Friends (2015)
Worthy (2019)

Collaborations

Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time by Carlos Santana (2010) – India sings "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" with Yo Yo Ma on cello
The Imagine Project by Herbie Hancock (2010) – India sings Imagine with Pink, Seal, Konono No. 1, Oumou Sangare and Jeff Beck
"My Everything" by Sauti Sol (2020) – Midnight Train
"Love Is Like" by Omar (2025) - from the album Brighter The Days