Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, and others, and the meditative “Hour Of Love,” with a moving incantation imploring the listener to take time for a simple spiritual practice of sending out prayers and good thoughts on behalf of others: ‘a little for your father/a little for your mother/a little for you sister/a little for your brother.’ The song is based on the Buddhist practice called “loving-kindness meditation” and says India, “a way to develop compassion for yourself and others.”

She transforms those sentiments into powerful verse on songs such as the illuminating “What If,” which invokes global pathfinders such as Dr. A person who feels empowered in that way is a much more powerful force in this world.” The truth is there is nothing special we have to do or be, we all are worthy once we arrive at that realization. I set out with the title even before I had the song, which is unusual for me, but I wanted to remind people that even though the world ordains that you have to ‘do’ or ‘be’ something to be ‘worthy,’ that’s not true. “The songs on this album implicitly or explicitly carry the message and the energy of the word ‘worthy,’ because all parts of me are worthy. “My favorite definition of the word ‘worthy’ is deserving of regard and respect,” she says. Her eighth studio album, WORTHY soars as India’s most textured and sensual work to date an intuitive, multi-layered effort from a mature artist not only in command of her gifts, but wise enough to shed all ‘unworthy’ distractions or, as she sings on the scalding “Coulda Shoulda Woulda,” “no time to get to my haters…not wasting my bars.”

Faithfully repurposed as the title and theme of her brand new 16-track album, including 13 songs and three interludes, India’s first full-length offering in five years is set to impact a world finally attuned to the kind of empathic sea-change the humanitarian singer/songwriter has embraced her entire career.Ĭonsider it a mission accomplished. It’s no secret to India.Arie fans that the word ‘worthy’ has been an empowering expression of self-love for her and her audience over the years.

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