India Arie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids India Arie
Arie performing in 2009
Born	India Arie Simpson (1975-10-03) October 3, 1975 (age 49) Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Other names	India.Arie
Alma mater	Savannah College of Art and Design
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	1997–present
Parent(s)	Ralph Simpson
Musical career
Origin	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	R&B neo soul
Labels	Motown (1999–2007) Universal Republic (2007–present)

India Arie Simpson, born on October 3, 1975, is a talented American singer and songwriter. She became well-known with her first album, Acoustic Soul, released in 2001. This album was very popular and received great reviews. Since then, she has released several other albums, including Voyage to India (2002), Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship (2006), Songversation (2013), and Worthy (2019).

India Arie's music mixes R&B, soul, and neo-soul styles. Her songs often share messages about believing in yourself, spirituality, and caring about society. She has sold over 10 million records worldwide and has won four Grammy Awards from 23 nominations. She is also known for promoting positive messages in music and for her work in helping others. She often talks about self-acceptance, race, and cultural identity.

Early Life and Musical Journey

India Arie was born in Denver, Colorado. Her parents, Joyce and Ralph Simpson, always encouraged her musical talents from a young age. Her mother was also a singer who had a record deal with Motown Records when she was a teenager. She even opened shows for famous artists like Stevie Wonder and Al Green. India Arie has an older brother named J'On and a younger sister named Mary. Her family background includes African-American heritage, with DNA analysis showing roots from the Mende people of Sierra Leone, the Kru of Liberia, and the Fula of Guinea-Bissau.

When India Arie was 13, her parents divorced, and her mother moved the family to Atlanta. India had already tried playing many musical instruments during her school years in Denver. But it was her interest in the guitar while attending the Savannah College of Art and Design that truly sparked her passion for songwriting and performing. She once said that writing songs helped her understand herself and others better.

She helped start an independent music group in Atlanta called Government Earthseed. A song she contributed to a local album led to her performing at the 1998 Lilith Fair festival. In 1999, a music scout from Universal/Motown signed her. India Arie lived in New York City for over ten years before moving back to Atlanta to focus more on her music career. She was also named to Oprah Winfrey's SuperSoul100 list, which recognizes influential leaders.

Music Career Highlights

India Arie released her first album, Acoustic Soul, on March 27, 2001. The album was very successful and received positive reviews. It quickly reached number ten on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Even without a lot of radio play, Acoustic Soul sold over 2 million copies in the U.S. and 3 million worldwide. It was also certified Gold in the UK and Platinum in Canada.

The first song released from the album was "Video", which became her highest-charting song on the US Billboard Hot 100. The second single, "Brown Skin", did not chart as high in the U.S. but became her most successful song in the United Kingdom.

Collaborations and Awards

In 2001, India Arie sang a duet with rock singer John Mellencamp on his song "Peaceful World". In 2002, she was nominated for seven Grammy Awards for Acoustic Soul and the song "Video". She performed "Video" at the Grammy ceremony that year. She also sang with jazz artist Cassandra Wilson on the song "Just Another Parade" in 2002.

Her second album, Voyage to India, came out on September 24, 2002. It debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. This album was certified Platinum. At the 2003 Grammy Awards, Voyage to India won Best R&B Album. The song "Little Things" from the album won Best Urban/Alternative Performance. Another song, "Get It Together," was featured in movies like Brown Sugar (2002) and Shark Tale (2004).

India Arie performing in Lokeren Belgium, August 3, 2004

In 2005, India Arie performed a song called "Just 4 2day" on The Tyra Banks Show. She also sang "What About the Child" to support child victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. She collaborated with Stevie Wonder on his album A Time to Love in 2005. Their song "A Time to Love" was nominated for a Grammy. Their earlier version of "The Christmas Song" for a Target commercial was also nominated for a Grammy.

Her album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship had her best first-week sales in 2006. It sold 730,000 copies in the U.S. and 1.3 million worldwide. The song "I Am Not My Hair", featuring Akon, was very popular. India Arie also sang a duet with Anthony David on his song "Words" in 2008.

Her next album, Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics, was released on February 10, 2009. It reached number 3 on the Billboard 200. On this album, she worked with artists like Sezen Aksu and Musiq Soulchild. India Arie performed "Video" with British singer Adele at the 2009 VH1 Divas show. She also contributed to the charity song "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti" to help victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. In 2010, she sang on Herbie Hancock's album The Imagine Project and on Carlos Santana's version of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

In March 2013, India Arie announced her fifth studio album, Songversation, which was released on June 25, 2013. The first song from the album, "6th Avenue," came out in November 2012. In 2015, she released a holiday album with musician Joe Sample called Christmas with Friends.

In July 2016, she released a new song called "Breathe," inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. She also announced her album Worthy, which was released on February 15, 2019. In June 2017, she released her first EP, SongVersation: Medicine, which she hoped would bring "softness, clarity, calm, and inspiration."

In February 2022, India Arie announced plans to remove her music from Spotify due to concerns about content on the platform. Her music remains available on Spotify.

Influence on Other Artists

India Arie's music and work have inspired many other artists. Some of these include Alexa Goddard, Anne-Marie, Ariana Grande, Doja Cat, Jess Glynne, Jhene Aiko, Khalid, Lauren Jauregui, Melanie Fiona, and Tori Kelly.

Discography

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
• The Imagine Project by Herbie Hancock (2010) – India sings Imagine
• "My Everything" by Sauti Sol (2020) – from the album Midnight Train
• "Love Is Like" by Omar (2025) - from the album Brighter The Days

Awards and Recognition

India Arie on the red carpet at VH1 Divas 2009.

India Arie has received many awards for her music. She has won four Grammy Awards and several other honors.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Award is a very important award in the music industry. India Arie has won four Grammys from 23 nominations.

Other Awards

India Arie has also won awards from BET and NAACP.

Tours and Performances

India Arie performing at Texas A&M University–Commerce in April 2014

India Arie has toured around the world, sharing her music with fans.

Headlining Tours

• Voyage to World Tour (2002–2003)
• Testimony Tour (2006–2010)
• Songversation Tour (2013–2014)

Opening Act

• Lovers Rock Tour (2001)

Film and Television Appearances

India Arie has also appeared in various TV shows and films.

Theatre Work

In 2009, India Arie played the role of Nina Simone in a special reading of the musical Soul Doctor. This musical was about the life of Shlomo Carlebach.

Images for kids

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  Arie performing in 2009

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  India Arie performing in Lokeren Belgium, August 3, 2004

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  India Arie on the red carpet at VH1 Divas 2009.

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  India Arie performing at Texas A&M University–Commerce in April 2014

See also

In Spanish: India.Arie para niños