India.Arie

One of a handful of neo-classic soul artists to emerge following the late-'90s success of artists like D'angelo and Lauryn Hill, Atlanta's India.arie stood poised at the beginning of 2001 to make a major impact. A studied songwriter and guitar player rooted in the R&B, soul, Motown, and blues of the past, but grounded in the post-hip-hop urban world of today, Arie's debut, Acoustic Soul, was rich with textured songs, hooks, and impressively mature lyrics, considering the artist had only been writing songs for five years.