She absorbed musical skill early in life, encouraged by both parents: her mother, Joyce, herself a former singer, and now India Arie's stylist; and her father, former ABA and NBA basketball player Ralph Simpson (not former NBA star player Ralph Sampson, as has been mistakenly reported in some media). She had taken up a succession of musical instruments throughout her schooling in Denver, Colorado, but her interest in the guitar while attending the Savannah College of Art and Design led to a personal revelation about songwriting and performing. "When I started tapping into my own sensitivity, I started to understand people better. It was a direct result of writing songs," she said at the press release of her debut album, Acoustic Soul.
Co-founding the Atlanta-based independent music collective GroovmentEarthseed (Groovement was the collective artists' name and Earthshare was their independent label name), her one-song turn on a locally released compilation led to a second-stage gig at the Lilith Fair. Their Universal Records/Motown music scout spotted her and made an introduction to Motown CEO Kedar Massenburg. Sidestepping all the devices of flavor-of-the-month record-making, Acoustic Soul acquainted listeners with a brave and eloquent new voice, drawing an uncommonly broad swath of listeners from hip-hop, the so called neo-soul, blues, folk, and classic troubadour-style singer/songwriting, all at once. The album, released in 2001, debuted at number ten on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart and number three on the R&B album chart. Within months, without the concentrated radio play that typically powers pop and rap albums, Acoustic Soul was certified double-platinum.
India.Arie also features on Stevie Wonder's album A Time To Love which was released on October 18, 2005. India.Arie and Stevie Wonder duet on the title track "A Time To Love" that India wrote, which was nominated in the 2006 forty-eighth Grammy Awards, for Best Pop Vocal Collaboration with Vocals.
On the September 2005 premiere of The Tyra Banks Show, Arie performed "Just 4 2day". She wrote this song especially for Tyra's show. Arie also wrote "What About the Child", a song that did not air but was made available as a $1 internet download to support child victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Voyage to India
India.Arie followed the success of her debut in 2002 with the release of Voyage to India. Debuting at number six on the Billboard 200 and number one on the R&B chart, the album eventually earned a 2003 Grammy for Best R&B Album. The single "Little Things" also won a 2003 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. Soon after its release, Voyage to India was certified gold; and it was certified platinum on Friday 4 August 2006.
Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship
India.Arie's third studio album, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, was released on June 27, 2006. Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship gave India.Arie her first number-one on the Billboard 200 and was her second chart-topper on the U.S. R&B album chart. This album was also the first #1 album for the Motown record label in 33 years since Diana Ross's #1 Lady Sings the Blues Its first week sales of 161,000 copies is Arie's best sales week to date and was certified gold on Friday, August 4, 2006.
Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics was released on Tuesday, February 10, 2009.
Songversation (2013)
Christmas with Friends (2015)
Worthy (2019)
Butterfly
India.Arie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still a swoon in a cocoon.
Soon you might emerge,
And you're made to emerge.
A little longing to love, lush,
Starving for affection.
Hidden by the size of my perfection,
With one exception...
If you want to butterfly,
You gotta be a butterfly.
You know that nothing falls out of the sky.
Still a swoon in a cocoon.
If you want to butterfly,
You gotta be a butterfly.
You know that nothing falls out of the sky.
How do I hide somebody from the great blue wide?
I'll come and sweep you up,
'Cause your time ain't up, be patient.
Now you see the sun is rising and your realizing,
Wise enough to know,
That you gotta let yourself grow.
If you want to butterfly,
You gotta be a butterfly.
You know that nothing falls out of the sky.
Still a swoon in a cocoon.
If you want to butterfly,
You gotta be a butterfly.
You know that nothing falls out of the sky.
What goes around comes back around;
This is nature's way.
Be conscious of what you do,
Because you will be repaid.
If you put turnips in the ground,
You will not harvest grapes.
You are what you attracted,
And this is why I say;
Uhhhhhh...
If you want to a butterfly,
You gotta be a butterfly.
You know that nothing falls out of the sky.
Still a swoon in a cocoon.
If you want to a butterfly,
You gotta be a butterfly.
You know that nothing falls out of the sky.
Constantly creepin' caterpillar,
Still a swoon in a cocoon.
Soon you might emerge,
And be made to emerge.
Maybe...
Still a swoon in a cocoon (repeated many times)
Uhhhhhh...
India.Arie's song "Butterfly" is about transformation, growth, and self-love. The lyrics compare the process of becoming a butterfly to the process of personal growth and self-discovery. The caterpillar, always slowly moving forward, represents our growth process - it can be difficult and uncomfortable, but ultimately leads to our emergence as something beautiful and new. The cocoon represents periods of introspection and self-examination that we must go through in order to become our true self. India.Arie encourages us to be patient with ourselves and trust the process.
The first verse speaks to the caterpillar's experience in the cocoon - the longing for love and affection, and the feeling of being hidden behind societal expectations of perfection. The chorus emphasizes that we cannot become something new without putting in the work - we must be willing to grow, even when it's difficult. The second verse speaks to the idea that change takes time - we must trust that the sun will rise and that we will eventually emerge as something new. The bridge emphasizes the importance of acting with intention and putting positive energy out into the world, as we will ultimately receive what we give.
Overall, "Butterfly" is a powerful reminder that personal growth is a slow and often difficult process, but it is ultimately worth it to become the best version of ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Constantly creepin' caterpillar,
I am constantly moving and growing like a caterpillar, each stage of development taking me closer to transformation.
Still a swoon in a cocoon.
I am still in the midst of change, waiting to break out of my protective shell and become something new.
Soon you might emerge,
My transformation is imminent, and I am on the brink of becoming a new version of myself.
And you're made to emerge.
This transformation is what I was meant to do, the very reason for my existence.
A little longing to love, lush,
I am longing for love and affection, but I am also growing and blossoming, becoming even more beautiful and full of life.
Starving for affection.
I am hungry for love and attention, and I need it to survive just as much as I need food and water.
Hidden by the size of my perfection,
My imperfections are hidden beneath the surface, and even though I appear perfect on the outside, there is still much work to be done internally.
With one exception...
But there is one flaw or imperfection that I cannot hide from others or from myself.
If you want to butterfly,
If you want to transform and become something new, like a butterfly, you must put in the work and effort to make it happen.
You gotta be a butterfly.
You must embrace change and transformation fully in order to become what you were meant to be.
You know that nothing falls out of the sky.
You cannot expect transformation to come to you without any effort on your part; it requires hard work and dedication to achieve.
How do I hide somebody from the great blue wide?
How do I keep someone I love safe and protected from the vast and unpredictable world around us?
I'll come and sweep you up,
I will be there to protect and care for you when you need it most, offering support and comfort.
'Cause your time ain't up, be patient.
Don't rush things or try to force change, because everything happens in its own time and you must be patient and trust the process.
Now you see the sun is rising and your realizing,
As you begin to emerge from your cocoon, you realize how much you have learned and how far you have come.
Wise enough to know,
Through this transformation, I have gained wisdom and understanding about myself and the world around me.
That you gotta let yourself grow.
To continue on this journey, I must allow myself to grow and change without fear or hesitation.
What goes around comes back around;
The energy and actions you put out into the world will eventually come back to you, either positively or negatively.
This is nature's way.
It is part of the natural order of things, and cannot be avoided or escaped.
Be conscious of what you do,
You must be aware of the energy and actions you put out into the world, as they will have a lasting impact on yourself and those around you.
Because you will be repaid.
The energy and actions you put out into the world will eventually come back to you, either positively or negatively.
If you put turnips in the ground,
If you put in the work and effort to grow something, you will reap the rewards of your labor.
You will not harvest grapes.
If you do not put in the effort required, you cannot expect to achieve the results you desire.
You are what you attracted,
The energy and actions you put out into the world will attract similar energy and people back to you.
And this is why I say;
This is the reason behind my message and why it is important to embrace transformation and seek personal growth.
Maybe...
This transformation may not be easy, and there are always risks and uncertainties involved.
Still a swoon in a cocoon (repeated many times)
Even though transformation may be difficult and uncertain, it is still a necessary and beautiful part of life.
Uhhhhhh...
A wordless expression of the beauty and wonder of transformation, and the incompleteness of words to express it fully.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTHONY DAVID HARRINGTON, INDIA ARIE, INDIA ARIE SIMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind