“I didn’t know if I was going to make music anymore,” says a recently missing-in-action India.Arie. After selling more than 10 million albums worldwide, scoring 21 Grammy nominations, and winning four, India Arie Simpson just stopped the music.
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Four years later, she’s returning with her long-awaited fifth studio album, SongVersation, and the “Brown Skin” and “I Am Not My Hair” singer says that, for the first time, she completely controls the when, where and how of her career.
It didn’t come easy.
Describing 2009 as “just the worst year I could imagine,” India, 37, says, “I was at rock bottom career-wise and health-wise. I was working so hard and getting very little in return. I didn’t know if I was going to make music anymore. I didn’t know anything. I just knew that I wanted to have a life that felt good.”
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By applying some of the lessons of self-love and self-acceptance found in much of her own music, India turned that difficult corner of her life. “I really took the time to look at myself and look at my life and decide who I want to be, and not what anyone else wants,” she explains. “I learned who I am and understand that I am responsible for myself and for my life.”
This new perspective has made aspects of the music business she once loathed—long hours in the studio, doing press interviews— a lot more pleasurable. She’s even putting out fires, like claims that her image was purposely lightened for the cover art of the album’s first single “Cocoa Butter.”
“Some people were really getting crazy and just being disrespectful and I wanted to snap back [but] I didn’t,” she admits. “If it were true, and it’s not, it would have been a huge betrayal because of my reputation and what I’m about,” she says. “The black community has a certain ownership of me, and it’s beautiful and I’m proud of that.”
Since her self-imposed exile, she’s come to cherish her unique role even more.
“You know, I was in my early twenties when I came out. I was a kid. Now I’m an adult, I’m a woman. I’m even more committed and more clear about what my message is, and more empowered to carry that message further.”
Coming full circle, India insists “I don’t sing because I’ve got all the answers and I’ve got it all figured out. I sing because I’m on that journey too, to be the best person I can be. Whoever it resonates with, I’m happy. I know that it’s not for some people, and I’m okay with that, too.”
This time around, she’s making time for self and is expanding her company, SoulBird.
“These past 10 years, I’ve never had any time for other things that I love to do, such as jewelry and clothes. And maybe [I will make time for] a relationship,” she sneaks in. “I can’t see it, but I feel something. I needed time to heal, and now I’m ready.”
