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)
Slow Down
India.Arie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So far from where I want to be.
Listening for answers in the wind,
But can't find a rock to plant my feet.
Looking for love in all the wrong places.
Down on my knees and now I'm praying for patience.
I know there's gotta be a better way.
In the back of my mind I hear my momma say
[Chorus]
Slow down baby
ya going to fast.
You got your hands in the air
With your Feet on the gas.
You 'bout to wreck your future,
Run from your past.
You need to slow down before you go down baby.
Thinking the faster that I go
The faster that I will reach my goal
The race is not given to the swift
But to the one who endure'th.
I thought that all of my obstacles were behind me.
Walking around like I'm made out of diamond.
I tripped and fell and it reminded me to move over and let the angels guide me.
[Chorus]
Sometimes you gotta be still, before you can get ahead.
Be still, ask the universe for help be real.
You can't do it all by yourself
India.Arie's Slow Down is a cautious ballad with a warm, motherly message filled with wisdom, about the value of slowing down in life. The song is a call to action to stop, breathe, and look inward. The lyrics express the singer's sentiments of feeling far from where she started and so far away from where she wants to be, both physically and psychologically. Her search for guidance is described as looking for answers in the wind but unable to find a solid ground to plant her feet.
India.Arie seems to express her thoughts on how the journey of life is about quality rather than the quantity and how patience and enduring is the key to a successful future. The chorus emphasizes that going too fast may cause one to miss the small essential details that can make all the difference in one's life. She advises the listener to slow down and be patient, accept the help of the universe, and not try to do everything on their own.
The song's simplicity is its strength, as the cross-genre artist communicates fluently with a motherly tone whilst calmly encouraging listeners to look within. It conveys an essential message that reminds young people of the importance of stopping to take a breath, to be introspective, and to not let life pass by in the flicker of an eye. It is a soothing, gentle reminder to slow down and take the time to savor the good parts of life.
Line by Line Meaning
So far from where I started out.
I have come a long way from where I began.
So far from where I want to be.
Although I have made progress, I still have a long way to go to reach my desired destination.
Listening for answers in the wind,
I am trying to find guidance and direction from the universe.
But can't find a rock to plant my feet.
I am feeling lost and unstable.
Looking for love in all the wrong places.
I have been searching for fulfillment in areas where it cannot be found.
Down on my knees and now I'm praying for patience.
I am humbled and seeking the strength to endure my struggles.
I know there's gotta be a better way.
I am optimistic that there is a solution to my problems.
In the back of my mind I hear my momma say
I am reminded of the advice that my mother gave me.
Slow down baby
ya going to fast.
You got your hands in the air
With your Feet on the gas.
You 'bout to wreck your future,
Run from your past.
You need to slow down before you go down baby.
I am advised to slow down and not let my impatience and recklessness ruin my future and cause me to flee from my past.
Thinking the faster that I go
The faster that I will reach my goal
The race is not given to the swift
But to the one who endure'th.
I have been under the impression that speed is the key to success, but I now realize that it is perseverance that ultimately leads to victory.
I thought that all of my obstacles were behind me.
I believed that I had overcome all of my struggles.
Walking around like I'm made out of diamond.
I was arrogant and believed that I was invincible.
I tripped and fell and it reminded me to move over and let the angels guide me.
I stumbled and that humbling experience taught me to relinquish control and trust in a higher power.
[Chorus]
The refrain repeats the message to slow down and avoid self-destruction.
Sometimes you gotta be still, before you can get ahead.
It is necessary to pause and reflect before making progress.
Be still, ask the universe for help be real.
Taking a moment of stillness to connect with the universe and being honest about my struggles will bring me closer to my goals.
You can't do it all by yourself
It is important to seek help and support from others.
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O CAPASSO, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARIE, QUINONES, SANDERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind