India.Arie brings the love to diverse L.A. crowd

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - India.Arie is this generation's Tracy Chapman, the folk guitarist who shot to stardom in the late 1980s with a liberal and worldly lyrical approach. Arie exudes more soulful energy, with a far tauter cord of empowerment and alignment to the black feminine sensibility than Chapman could display.

Her credibility led to a sold-out concert boasting a

United Nations-like audience that clearly relished the messages of universal love and self-love that she's been sending since her 2001 "Acoustic Soul" debut.

Wearing a floor-length white dress, adorned with accents of red, black, orange and white, Arie was exquisite and statuesque as she entered a darkened theater to Steve Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life." Urged on by Arie's bassist, who waved his illuminated cell phone, the Wilshire was aglow in seconds, with the entire audience waving their cell phones from side to side. (The butane lighter has become a thing of the past.)

But as the audience displayed its pleasure with her African-inspired coiffure during the opening "I Am Not My Hair," Arie whipped off her head wrap to reveal a closely-cropped Afro hairstyle with a red streak through the middle. She then launched into a string of songs from her recent top-selling album "Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship."

Arie stripped down to tight jeans, brown spike-heeled boots and a white tank top; during "Private Party," she rewrapped her head, then dramatically whipped the wrapper back off.

Projecting a comforting vocal style, Arie eschews flash for intimacy. Her endearing vulnerability was revealed when she said, "I've achieved so much in life, but I'm an amateur in love." That confession is reflected in such songs as "The Heart of the Matter," "Good Mourning" and "Wings of Forgiveness."

As Arie sang Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do for Love," a harmonica sounded from stage right. Its signature phrasing raised a buzz. Arie exited the stage and came back with Wonder in tow for an improvised scat chorus on the song. When Wonder left, Arie's knees seemed to buckle in admiration, and under the impact of the moment, Wonder came back immediately for another duet on Bob Marley's "Redemption Song."

Arie then cruised through the songs that put her on the map, including "Promises," "Strength, Courage & Wisdom," "Brown Skin" and "Video," closing the concert with the encore "Ready for Love." India.Arie proved that she can handle theater crowds. Next stop: arenas.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter