About to Pop: Laura Izibor

Nadine Cheung
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PopEater
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Laura Izibor
Atlantic
Who: Laura Izibor
Album: 'Let the Truth Be Told'
Video: 'From My Heart to Yours'
Hails From: Dublin, Ireland
For Fans Of: Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill
Why She's About to Pop: Dublin native Laura Izibor was one of five kids raised by her single, working class mother. Music didn?t enter the burgeoning artist?s world until age 13, when she discovered Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding, who sparked Izibor?s love for soul music. Two years after winning Ireland?s prestigious ?2FM Song Contest,? the then 17-year-old began working on her first record, which ultimately took four years to complete. In that time, the R&B vocalist fine-tuned her sound and developed her stage presence by opening for the likes of James Brown and the Roots. She also landed notable film and TV placements in ?Grey?s Anatomy,' ?The Nanny Diaries? and ?P.S. I Love You? prior to the release of her full-length album. Dubbed ?The Soul of Ireland,? the now 21-year-old is ready to unveil the fruits of her labor with her debut LP, ?Let the Truth Be Told.? Fresh off of a full U.S. tour with India.Arie, Izibor is armed with an amazing talent and a humble outlook on all of her success thus far. ?It?s just a great, unusual thing to be doing what I love,? she says. ?And I?m genuinely grateful.?
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Watch the 'From My Heart to Yours' Video
Eight Questions with Laura Izibor:
How did you first discover your love for soul music?
I discovered my love of soul music when I first heared Nina Simone. Hearing pain in her voice, and just the rawness of it all, left [me] craving more.
You're known back home as "The Soul of Ireland" -- what does that feel like?
Being called 'The Soul of Ireland? feels really lovely. It's such an honour to be embraced so much by my homeland. I?m very blessed.
Why did it take four years to record your debut album?
It took four years due to changing over record labels, and also, I signed so young. I was 17 and really needed time to finish my sound. It was a blessing taking this long -- I got to be a teenager and get to know who I was and who I wanted to be.
Who has been your favorite artist to play with?
My favourite artist has had to be India.Arie. She took me on tour with her all over America. I got to go on stage and sang with her, and it was truly one of my most enjoyable experiences
What was it like growing up in such a busy household?
Growing up in a three-bedroom house with five kids and a single parent is definitely a busy house, but through all the madness I loved it. It's humbling because you're taught to share, and that the world doesn?t revolve around you.
What are the some of the most played songs on your iPod?
Erykah Badu's 'Didn?t Cha Know,' Salt-N-Pepa's 'Whatta Man', Jill Scott's 'Long Walk' [and] Fleetwood Mac's 'Bleed to Love Her.'
Do you have any rituals before or after performing?
Before each show me and my band pray and sing a little hymn. It really gets me ready to enjoy my performance.
If your American fans were to visit your homeland, what's the first thing they should do in Dublin?
The first thing they should do is get a pint of Guinness. I don't drink it myself, but it is brewed here and apparently is the best tasting Guinness in the world!
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2009-06-01 12:25:12
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