By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
November 29, 2002
Phoning from her tour bus en route to Phoenix, India.Arie is funny, candid and polite. She’s also hungry. “My cook just asked if I wanted a fruit salad,” says the 26-year-old singer-songwriter. “She picked up some ripe mangoes when we were in New Orleans and also has some grapes–two of my favorite fruits–and is going to make it with lemon and tahini dressing.”
Girlfriend likes her food.
“Everybody knows that about me,” India.Arie says, laughing. “I’m the type of person who can go for days without eating if there’s food I don’t like. But if I like it, I’m always eating and asking, ‘Can I have thirds?’ ”
Luckily for her, that’s what fans have been saying about her music. Currently touring to support her new album, “Voyage to India,” she performs tonight at the Auditorium Theatre.
The album is her followup to “Acoustic Soul,” which garnered seven Grammy nominations this year. Watching Alicia Keys nab five trophies and going home with none herself wasn’t one of the happiest days in India.Arie’s life. But she refused to let the disappointment overcome her emotions.
“There were a lot of expectations and I would’ve liked to have won something,” she says. “But I had to get over it and just keep on my own path. Awards are nice. I’d be lying if I said they weren’t. But they’re not my ultimate goal. Critical acclaim matters, but it’s not what drives me to make music. I care what people say. If everybody said they didn’t like my album, I suppose I’d have to re-evaluate why. But when I’m writing, I don’t think about anything other than myself.”
nice to me. I always offer to do interviews with them even if they
Chicago wish: I want to go to an Oprah show.
When I have more time … I’ll go see an opera or something in Chicago. That’d be fun.
Here’s to good friends: I have friends from college in Chicago and we don’t do anything special, but we always have a great time. We may just end up talking all night.
On the paparazzi: I hate getting my picture taken. There’s a time and place for them. But to just walk around all day and get your picture taken, I
don’t like it. I don’t want a million pictures of me floating around.
Got all your holiday shopping done? No! I don’t really shop for Christmas. I just buy people things throughout the year.
Tell me a secret: I had an ulcer. I was stressed out and burned the lining in my stomach.
Success: For me, getting my opinions out on an album and knowing that I was able to realize my vision is success.
What’s in your fridge? I eat 75 to 80 percent raw food, so there’s lot of veggies. I eat a lot. I love sauteed spinach, asparagus, kale, big salads
with wheat bread, protein shakes, smoothies …
On mom: My mother is wonderful, but she’s really blunt. I get that from her. It’s in my songwriting. It’s how I deal with people. When people around me aren’t being logical or telling the truth, I call them on it. My friends and I don’t hold our tongues with each other.
On India DOT Arie: Contrary to popular belief, I don’t throw fits if the dot is missing between my name. I wanted to make myself stand out.
The last word on Chicago: Cool.
