Far across the Atlantic, in the distant land of Ireland, the life and success of Laura Izibor have cast a bright light on the global interconnectedness and reach of the modern music industry.
As the daughter of an Irish mother and Nigerian father, it may surprise some Americans that Laura Izibor's unique talents, while refreshing, are at the same time familiar. Inspired by the music of Roberta Flack, Nina Simone and Marvin Gaye, Izibor's songwriting talents embody the spirit and passions of her musical heroes and, for these reasons, the international press has hailed her as "The Soul of Ireland." With a bit of luck, in the weeks and months to come, several tracks from her debut album, Let the Truth Be Told, will find a welcome home on American radio.
Upon the release of Let the Truth Be Told, Laura Izibor managed to squeeze some time out of her busy schedule and settle down for an interview with Clayton Perry — reflecting on Marvin Gaye, her cultural roots, and "If Tonight Is My Last."
Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure of seeing you open for India.Arie in Charlotte, North Carolina. Out of your set, the song I really gravitated toward was "Shine." When you perform that particular song, are there any particular memories that float around in your mind?
Well, that song I initially wrote about a friend who was very shook in life. She was really in this bad spot. Just being bad, drinking bad, stuck in a job she didn't really want. It's just really hard to see someone who has a glaze in their eyes. So I began writing "Shine," and, like everything, you end up looking at yourself. Am I doing all the things I set for myself to do? So it was sort of inspired by somebody else but it came back to myself. I wanted to be able to sing a song that was therapeutic, maybe. I think in life we tend to think that it won't happen to us or we'll do it tomorrow. So "Shine" is a kind of song that really makes you live as present as possible. It's just a good song to sing, to sing about that kind of thing.
A large number of singles off of Let the Truth Be Told were featured on various soundtracks and television shows before the album's official release. When you look back, do you consider this staggered introduction as a conscious marketing tactic or an attempt to test the musical waters, so to speak?
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