NEW YORK (Tracey Miller & Associates/ Universal Motown Records) - 12-time Grammy nominee India.Arie, one of music's most inspirational singer/songwriters releases her third studio album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship today, June 27th. The much anticipated release also coincides with
National HIV Testing Day- a worldwide cause close to the singer's heart and arrives the same day that the acclaimed artist hopes to make it two for two at this year's 6th Annual BET Awards, where she will perform a duet with
Stevie Wonder as part of a special tribute to Chaka Khan. India.Arie was nominated for Best R&B Female Artist by the popular cable network, an award she previously won at BET's 2003 awards.
Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship is India.Arie's first album since 2002's acclaimed Voyage To India, which reached #6 on the Billboard Top Albums chart and People Magazine called it, "A voyage worth taking." Her new disc was produced by longtime collaborators Shannon Sanders and Mark Batson (Seal, Beyonce), among others. The album's first video, "I Am Not My Hair," helmed by Barnaby Roper (Moby, Razorlight) has become a staple on both VH1 and BET.
Testimony... is also being hailed as a more personal expression from the singer/songwriter, with VIBE magazine calling it "a model of inner strength...rarely does she dote on the negative...her songwriting is pensive and poetic," and Glamour Magazine naming it among "Songs to Download Now" in their July 2006 issue. India.Arie recently completed an international promotional tour for the new disc, drawing raves in Europe: "Another earthy uplifting testimony of empowerment" (New Nation 6/12), "This magnificent return shows her at her very best (Mirror, 6/9) and "With Testimony, the world will be a better place." (Daily Star, 6/7) where she previewed the startling repertoire of new songs.
India.Arie emerged onto the music scene in 2001 with her platinum plus debut Acoustic Soul. A masterful meditation on self-acceptance and womanhood, she was dubbed the new "neo-soulstress" by no less than Newsweek Magazine, praising her as "one of the freshest talents to come out of 2001," the emotive singer went on to be nominated for seven Grammys for her debut album, and subsequently has won a host of awards including 2 Grammys, 3 NAACP Awards, as well as being recognized by BET, Billboard Magazine, MTV, VH1 and Essence Magazine, among others.
2002's Voyage To India cemented her rep as a seminal singer/songwriter, netting her 4 Grammy nominations and two statues. With more than six million albums sold, she most recently was nominated for her 12th Grammy in the Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals category for her writing collaboration with Stevie Wonder on the title song of his most recent album, A Time To Love.
India.Arie is also a U.S. Ambassador for UNICEF and is universally recognized as a tireless champion of social and humanitarian causes around the world. She recently returned from a trip to South Africa where she observed and assisted humanitarian efforts taking place in the epicenter of the global AIDS crisis.
She has performed with numerous artists including Sting, Elton John, Sade, Aaron Neville and Sergio Mendes to name a few and has collaborated with many others including; Stevie Wonder, John Mellencamp, Bonnie Raitt, Keb Mo, Rascal Flatts, Elmo and Cassandra Wilson. She has also written songs for several movie soundtracks including "Good Man" for We Were Soldiers, "Eyes of the Heart" for Radio, "Get It Together" for Shark Tale and "Purify Me" for Diary of a Mad Black Woman.
India.Arie was the featured musical guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on June 26 and will appear on Live with Regis & Kelly June 29.
For further information, please visit India.Arie's website www.notmyhair.com.
