India Arie
Acoustic Soul

Acoustic Soul is the debut album of India Arie, an African-American singer born and raised in the city of Denver. India, the daughter of a fashion designer and a basketball player, has been referred to as the heir of Stevie Wonder, to whom she has also dedicated a song in the album, Tracy Chapman, and Roberta Flack.

The album's title indicates the singer's entirely personal way of making music, namely an acoustic soul made with the soul, a soul capable of touching the deepest strings of the conscience. The album, released in May 2001, presents a sparse style yet rich in emotions and sensations, capable of creating evocative atmospheres; indeed, it feels like facing a magic box, in which precious moments and emotions are carefully collected.
Acoustic Soul is a treasure chest in which the singer has placed real jewels, such as Video, a piece in which India proposes an outdated concept of beauty, not the one flaunted on album covers or in music videos, but rather the inner beauty that emits a special light.
In Promises, a difficult theme is addressed, namely the complex relationship between an abandoned child and a mother distressed over the decision made; Brown Skin proves to be an anthem to love, as much physical as spiritual. Ready For Love is an intense song, in which the singer offers the man she loves her voice, her eyes, her soul, her mind; in Always In My Head she sings: "You're like a cool breeze, on a summer's day, you are a river, running through a desert plain, you've been my shelter, from the pouring rain, you were my comfort, even before the pain: 'cause I hear you".

India Arie's voice is truly magnificent, as it is warm, enveloping, intense; it is a voice that enchants and captivates, a voice that simultaneously stirs and immobilizes.

Acoustic Soul is an enveloping album, like the warmth of the sun's rays, an album as intense as a sunset over the sea; it is an album that expands the boundaries of the soul, elevating it to the summit of the sky.