Laura Izibor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laura Izibor
Background information
Birth name	Laura Elizabeth Arabosa Izibor
Born	(1987-05-13) 13 May 1987 (age 38) Dublin, Ireland
Genres	R&B, soul, pop
Occupation(s)	Singer–songwriter, pianist, producer, arranger, composer
Instruments	Vocals, piano
Years active	2008–2012
Labels	Jive, Atlantic

Laura Elizabeth Arabosa Izibor (born May 1987) is a talented Irish singer, songwriter, and music producer. She became known for her amazing voice while still in high school, winning the 2FM Song Contest. Later, she received an award at the 2006 Meteor Music Awards. Laura has even performed at big music events like Electric Picnic and Music Ireland. She has also opened concerts for famous artists such as Aretha Franklin, India Arie, Estelle, Maxwell, and John Legend.

Her first album, Let the Truth Be Told, came out in Ireland in May 2009. Laura also showed her acting skills in The CW TV show, One Tree Hill, where she played a character named Erin Macree.

Life and Music Journey

Early Life and First Steps in Music

Laura Elizabeth Arabosa Izibor was born in May 1987 in Dublin, Ireland. She is one of five children. Her mother, Trish, is Irish, and her father, Saul, is Nigerian. Laura found her love for music after singing "When You Believe" in her drama class. This song was a duet by two legendary singers, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.

She started writing her own songs at age 13. By 14, she had taught herself to play the piano. When she was just 15, Laura won the Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) 2FM Song Contest. Her winning song, "Compatible," was played a lot on the radio after her win. This helped her meet her manager, Edison Waters. RTÉ even made a documentary about Laura after she won the competition.

Let the Truth Be Told Album and Beyond

At 17, Laura signed with Jive Records and left school to work on her first album. Later, she signed with Atlantic Records and moved to New York. In 2006, she won an award at the Meteor Music Awards. This was special because she was the first unsigned artist to even be nominated!

Laura's first album, Let the Truth Be Told, was released in May 2009. It was very popular, reaching number two on the Irish Albums Chart. It also did well in the U.K. and U.S. charts. Her song "From My Heart to Yours" was released earlier and became a hit. Her second single, "Shine," also did well in Ireland. This song was first written for the movie The Nanny Diaries. It was also used in many TV commercials and dramas.

Laura was nominated for several awards, including 'Best U.K. Newcomer' at the MOBO Awards 2009. She performed at big festivals like Bestival 2009 and Electric Picnic 2009. In 2012, Laura released an EP (a shorter album) called The Brooklyn Sessions Vol. 1. It included three songs: "Gracefully," "He'll Never Know," and "Ring."

Laura's Music in Movies and TV Shows

Laura Izibor's songs have been featured in many popular movies and TV shows:

• Her song "From My Heart to Yours" was heard in an episode of Grey's Anatomy and the reality TV show Tough Love.
• Her single Shine was the main song for the movie Nanny Diaries. It was also used in commercials for Hibernian Aviva and Norwich Union in Ireland and the UK.
• Her song "Mmm..." appeared in movies like Step Up 2: The Streets, Why Did I Get Married?, and Seven Pounds starring Will Smith. It was also in TV shows like The Practice and One Tree Hill.
• "Carousel" was featured on the soundtrack for the movie P.S. I Love You.
• Her song "If Tonight is my Last" was used as an elimination song on America's Best Dance Crew Season 4.
• A video of her performing "Mmm..." was shown in an episode of Bones.

Laura also appeared in the 8th season of One Tree Hill in 2010. Her song "Can't be Love," which she wrote especially for the show, was first heard in the sixth episode.

Musical Style and Influences

Laura Izibor gets her musical inspiration from legendary artists like James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Carole King.

Critics have compared Laura's music to that of Aretha Franklin, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Alicia Keys. Her debut album, Let the Truth Be Told, has been described as a "sunny, chick-flick-worthy take on vintage soul." People have praised her "remarkable soul vocal" and how her music combines classic R&B and warm, piano-driven soul with a fresh, modern feel.

Discography

• Let the Truth Be Told (2009)

Awards and Nominations