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 "Is purple your color? You had mauve on last time, right?" India.Arie actually remembers what color I was wearing when we last met a year ago. But then again, from all appearances – her music and her clothes – color is important in her life. She is orange and vibrant; purple and spiritual; white and serene. But before we embark on the Voyage to India, she proceeds to show me her latest acquisition on her Parisian shopping expedition. "Let me show you what I bought today. You can appreciate this since purple is your color." A large, round amethyst rock set in gold. It is an addition to her collection of unique rings. "First time I came to Paris, I found this round lapis – blue – right by the hotel... And I wear it all the time." "You should do your hair purple. It'll be fun!" India.Arie says to me. Um, I don't know about that! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Are the interludes on your album, Voyage to India, stages you went through on your voyage to the inner India? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | I am going through each stage at any given moment during the day. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Are you "Headed in the Right Direction" (the title of a song off her album)? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | I don't know how to put it into words, but I know that I'm going in the right direction, that it feels like I am right here (puts hand on heart). In the song it says, "I've got faith and intuition." Something tells you that you know when you're headed in the right direction. I just keep following my heart and my intuition. I'm doing it; I'm actually doing it; I'm not just thinking about it, but doing it. So Voyage to India is what I wanted, so I did it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
What is your inspiration? Life? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | Yeah, yeah. The ongoing process of learning about life. It is life, but it is learning about life. Songs teach you about life. Writing songs, internalizing things, then putting them out as songs helped me to learn about life and people. So my inspiration is learning about life. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
It's therapeutic then? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | Very. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Your words actually convey a very positive message about life. It's like "self-help" music. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | That's the difference about life being inspiration and learning about life being inspiration. I want to learn my lessons, whatever they are. And when I sing about my lessons, I think because we all go through somewhat the same things in general, my lessons are about love and trust and health. I sing about the general things. People get it, because we all go through somewhat the same things. I don't think that I would've put the songwriting in the same way that I do if it wasn't for the fact that I have the quest to learn. Some people just like to live, just experience everything, but they don't... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Learn. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | Right. I'm trying to learn. I think that's wicked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
You did a duet with John Mellencamp, much to everyone's surprise. But I don't think you two are all that different... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | I don't either. In a certain way, we're very kindred – the way that we use our music to [voice] our opinions. We're very similar in that way. But then, in that way, I'm very similar to Eminem, 'cause he clearly sings about his life. Or in that way, I'm very similar to Mary J. Blige, 'cause she's singing about her life. But we had a good vocal [range] too. That was pretty cool. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
How did you two get together? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: |
You know Julia Fordham? You heard the song we did, "Concrete Love"? I used a totally different part of my voice that I never use when I sing my own songs. Her voice is deep like mine, so to find a duet, I had to do something different. When I was in the studio, standing so still singing (demonstrates high pitch). It was fun. I love that song. I love her too! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
You told me last year that you'd love to duet with Stevie Wonder – and you did and it was nominated for a Grammy! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | Yeah, I did, but it's not the real thing. I didn't really get to do actual writing. It was just a Christmas song from an EP. You don't have to write it or anything like that. But I think we are going to do some stuff together. I don't know what, actually. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Who else would you like to work with? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | A lot of people. (Ponders) Beverley Knight, James Taylor. I can just keep naming people – Joe, Donnell Jones, Bryan White, my favorite country singer, Celine Dion... Whoooh! A lot of people! I like collaborating on music, 'cause a professional musician speaks the same language no matter where you're from. You might not be able to communicate speaking – that might be an issue – but when you start singing, it's sooo easy. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Would you use guest stars on your album? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | Yeah, I want to. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Like hip-hop/rap artists doing remixes? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | I want to, it's just... I get very wrapped up in my own self when I'm making albums. Every album I've done so far – both of them – I've had songs left over and songs that I've not recorded. They're just in my head, left over, that I want to do. So instead of going and trying to do it with somebody else, I still gotta figure out how to get all this stuff out of my head. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Oh, before I forget – your grandmother is a politician? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | (Laughs) My grandma is really into politics. She watches everything. She ran for a seat in the local something up in Michigan. She's also a drug counselor. She takes people to court and helps them get their government funding. She does all kinds of stuff with government policy. She always says, "Somebody needs to use 'A Promise is a Promise' as their campaign song and needs to play it to those politicians so that they'd know a promise is a promise. They have to know they cannot get into office and forget what to do what they said they were going to do. Look, I'm calling Jesse Jackson!" She always says that! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
You kept your promise and didn't cancel your European tour like many other artists! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: |
I'm not sure what it's like [in Paris], but I remember the presidency and how tense it was last year when I came. Everyone was mad and fighting about the presidency. It doesn't happen that often in the States, but it's starting. Some people aren't used to it, but I feel like the kind of music I'm making and the stuff I think about and the intentions I have with my music and I want to spread love and energy and share my opinions. There will probably have to come a time when it'll be even more... scarier to travel for real. I still might have to travel because of what I said I wanted to do with my life. Not that I'm Mother Theresa, but do you think that Mother Theresa would say, "I can't help those poor orphans because it's not safe to fly. I can't go there." It's her life. I don't know, it's too early to be scared. And even when it's time to be scared, I'll probably still go. People ask: "Do you sing about the war and are you going to make a song about the war and about what's going on in the world?" I always say, "I've been making the same music since '95 when I started writing. I've been making songs about what I think love is and how people could treat each other and should treat each other in my view." From the beginning. It's just now my music is more relevant, because more people want it, because all the other upheaval that goes on, they want things that are relaxing and not addictive and that say something. This is what I do. This is how I chose to do it. I don't need to sing about the war to think about the war. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
But the world is still full of beautiful surprises... I remember you debuted "Beautiful Surprise" in Paris last year. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | (Big smile) Yeah! It's on my album now! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
What would be a beautiful surprise for you? Or have you already had it? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | They happen all the time. There are certain things that I want in life, that I expect every day. But every day, something happens that I didn't expect. That's real cool. I saw a jewelry store next door to the hotel, and I love jewelry 'cause I'm a jewelry maker. So I was just like, "I gotta get this [ring]!" It was just all this really unique, handmade jewelry. I got off the bus and it was right by our hotel, right next door. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Do you design any jewelry yourself? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | No. (Shows a ring) I have a green turmaline. I love it; it's my taste. I used to make these at home. I haven't made any jewelry in a while. Remember that heart necklace? I made that. The last thing I made was another one after that. I haven't made anything since. But maybe... I always said I would have a jewelry shop, a workbench in my house. But that's not there yet. Too busy! (Laughs) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Does your mom still design your clothes? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | (Nods) That's my stage clothes (shows a white dress with color prints). I love that dress. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
You seem to like a lot of color. Is it an outwardly expression of how you feel inside? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | Color has a great significance because I feel it. If I wear white, I feel a certain way – very calm, clear. I wear pink and it makes me feel a certain way – really loving and more open. Yellow is a lot of energy and orange is very sensual. But I feel it when I put those colors on; that's why I wear colors. It actually works. It's not something I learned from a book or anything. It's just something that works for me. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
There is actually a sort of color science. Certain emotions are attributed to certain colors. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | I know! I figured that out after I started feeling it. I was like, "Wow!" I started learning about it, asking people what they thought about colors. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
You need to be somewhat of a colorful individual to decide to be a singer, right? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | I had a lot of musical training and I was always an excellent English student. I kept a journal, wrote stories. When I put my musical training and my writing [together], it was all very natural that it would happen. And I just came out of nowhere: "I'm leaving school. I'm about to be a singer." Just like that. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
How did your parents react? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | My mom didn't like it for about a few months. Then I was like, "You know that I could do this." She was like, "I know, but I need you to have a job. I need you to go to school. I give you one year." "Help me eat, help me get a car and I'll stay here with you. And in a year from now, everything will be in place." Not in place, but going towards that direction. I was very serious about it and I was making a little bit of money, enough to buy my own groceries. She just helped me for the next three, four years. Now we have increasingly more of my own money. Now I've just got my own house, my own food. I pay my own everything! I've got my own lawn, my own backyard, my own basement, my own everything. Good 'ol basement – I love it! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
What's so special about your basement? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | I just have my own! Everything that's my own is nice! (Laughs) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
When was the last time you were there? For how long, since you've been touring quite a bit? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | A couple of weeks. My tour with Sade, we were out starting from July 12 to September 25 or something like that. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Was that fun? I know you love her. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | Yeah, it was fun. It was great, everything! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Did you sing together on stage? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | No. I always wanted to, but Sade is more like a... she likes to have it very structured so that they feel comfortable. She knows what's going to happen. She has to know what's going on. When I'm onstage, I'm just like, Aaaahhhh!!! I just sing. She has to have more structure in mind musically to work for her. She's not real, flowing, spontaneous, so I just can't walk out and say, "Let's sing!" But I think she would have if that was her nature. She was cool. She was really nice to everybody, real cool, but I don't think she's that spontaneous. We never got the chance. I was asking her about doing work together, but we didn't get to it, not yet anyway. I hope we get to do something. That'd be nice. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
What are your plans after your own tour? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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INDIA: | Go back home. Take a break. I'm certain about that! June 2003
NY Rock's Previous Interview with India.Arie | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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