I am ready for love/ why are you hiding from me/ I’d quickly give my freedom/ to be held in your captivity/ I am ready for love/ all of the joy and the pain/ and all the times that it takes/ just to stay in your good grace.

With lyrics like this to her latest single ‘Ready for Love’, it’s no wonder really as to why India.Arie, 25, is slated to win big at this year’s 44th Annual Grammy Awards to be held on the 27th of February in Los Angeles. She shares the honor of having the most number of nominations with U2, even beating the “expected-so-no-surprise-there” Alicia Keys who bagged 6 nominations. Named India in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi because of her due date matching his birthday, she is kind of difficult to pigeonhole and to classify her as the next so and so would not do her justice. Especially so when her debut album entitled ‘Acoustic Soul’ is totally refreshing and is packed with beautiful songs, many of which she composed herself. Leaving deep impressions on all, from the time she performed at small coffeehouses to the stages of Lilith Fair, she is definitely one of a kind.

Buy the album or hear the single or any other single of hers for that matter. Whatever you do to get India.Arie into your lives, she will not disappoint. You might want to sample tracks from her album by going to her official site at: www.indiaarie.com.

On a personal note altogether, I’ve heard ‘Ready For Love’ and I think she’s amazing. I would give it 4.5 stars out of 5. You shouldn’t give her a miss.