For the most part, this blog is dedicated to digging into the history of your favorite songs and artist. However, I’d also like to let you in on what I’m listening to, be it old school or up and coming artist. This week’s post is an official Be On the Look Out piece.
A few weeks ago I was at a friend’s house watching The Love Section (one of the best bad movies out if you ask me), when we noticed the extras having a fake conversation in the background. I realized that one of the people looked familiar tell my friends “yo that chick’s a singer from YouTube!” I remember her and how much I liked her voice from YouTube. I remember her being one of the first people I started following her on twitter. So I immediately grab my phone and start going through my twitter follows looking for her name. Of course you know she was no longer on twitter or at least not by the name I remember.
Now, let’s rewind about a month before that, when I received a soundtrack from Black&Sexy TV and I hear this song Cascade and think, man this chick is dope! I look check to see who the artist is and it is Ari Lennox. I then google her name and up pops a thin brown girl with a massive curly afro along with her YouTube channel. Her main video is a clip of her singing Cascade over a tape followed by a short introduction of herself. I posted the clip on Facebook and didn’t think about it anymore. That was until I was listening to the soundtrack again a few days ago and decide to revisited her YouTube page. Lo and behold Ari is the same talented vocalist from the videos I watched a few years ago. Her name Courtney Salter then, but there is no doubt it’s the same young lady. I’m just glad she has re-appeared in my view and I can’t wait for her to explode on the music scene.
I initially followed Ari Lennox for her soulful covers, but lately I’m loving her newest single on iTunes La, La, La, La. Of course the posthumous J. Dilla produced Cascade is my favorite, but the uptempo Inhale Me is a very close second. Her voice is intense, reminiscent of an Ella influenced Chrisette Michele or even Jill. She describes herself as sites Minnie Ripperton and John Legend as two of her favorite influences, and you can tell my her range and how she chooses to display it. Even though she is from D.C., at times I think I’m listening to a new-age soul singer from UK. If Amy Winehouse and Bilal had a child, then dropped her off at auntie Badu’s house to be raised, I’m pretty sure she’d be named Ari. Her style is a bit eclectic, but if you like neo-soul I’m confident you’ll love her. Listen for yourself.
Cascade
Inhale Me
La La La La
Download her latest EP Ariography
Download her 1st mixtape Five Finger Discount.
Follow her on twitter @Ariography
