India Arie News

Pop Star, Chris Mann, will debut his 4th studio album, NOISE, in concert on Thursday, March 28th, 2019 at the Peppermint Club in West Hollywood, CA. The highly anticipated album, NOISE, will be released as individual singles each month available on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music and across all digital streaming platforms. Mann wanted to “make noise” year round and felt this new release model would allow him to better and more deeply engage with his fans, allowing each song to resonate fully in its on way. “Gentleman,” the album's first single, was co-written by Mann, Cameron Forbes (3X Platinum, #1 smash single “Taste” by Tyga), and Willy Beaman (Greyson Chance, Nico & Vinz). The feel-good single sets the tone for the album with a bass-filled urban swagger topped with vintage horns and soulful, falsetto melodies harkening the best of Justin Timberlake and John Legend. NOISE also features a special guest vocal from one of Mann's own idols, 4 time Grammy award winning superstar, India.Arie.

Artistic Director Mark Yonally and Chicago Tap Theatre (CTT) presents Sweet Tap Chicago Sunday, March 10 at 3 and 7 p.m. at The City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St.  Sweet Tap Chicago is a celebration of Chicago musicians and music, with all new arrangements by Kurt Schweitz, a live jazz quintet featuring rapper/singer/host Taylor Mallory and tap dancing.  Musicians and bands to be covered include Chicago, Smashing Pumpkins, Chaka Khan, Curtis Mayfield and more. Doors open one hour prior to start time and the running time of the performance is one hour and twenty minutes including one short break. Tickets are $40 for reserved admission seating and may be purchased at ChicagoTapTheatre.com, by calling 800-440-8539 or at the door, pending availability. Group discounts are also available for groups of 10 or more.

Keb' Mo' returns to the Peace Center on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m. Young multi-instrumentalist and blues tunesmith Jontavious Willis is scheduled to open the show.

Four-time GRAMMY® winning artist/songwriter India.Arie releases her eighth studio album WORTHY (SoulBird/BMG) today, her first full-length in five years. An epic opportunity for fans to get reacquainted with the influential superstar and her new collection of uplifting songs, WORTHY resonates as a work of overlapping purpose, soaring as the iconic star's most textured and lively offering to date; an intuitive, multi-layered effort from a mature artist at the top of her creative powers.  

Ovens Auditorium will host four-time GRAMMY winning artist/songwriter India.Arie on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com and Livenation.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, at all Ticketmaster outlets or at the Bojangles' Coliseum Box Office located at 2700 E. Independence Blvd. Tickets start at $29.50 (plus applicable service charges) and are subject to change. 

“Fight On” from SHANNON SANDERS and the Nashville Urban Choir is a resolution anthem. The song is being purposefully released on Feb 8th, 2019, in honor of and in celebration for Black History Month, which lands at that moment in the new year when commitment to new intentions begins to wane and the reality of the work required to push past old habits sinks in. “Fight On,” written and performed by SANDERS (vocalist, songwriter, producer, musical director, philanthropist, and program director of Nashville's 102.1 The Ville), features a rousing neo-gospel performance from the Nashville Urban Choir. Today, Billboard is premiering the video for “Fight On,” calling the song “powerful” and noting its ability to “uplift and inspire.”

Artistic Director Mark Yonally and Chicago Tap Theatre (CTT) presents Sweet Tap Chicago Sunday, March 10 at 3 and 7 p.m. at The City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St.  Sweet Tap Chicago is a celebration of Chicago musicians and music, with all new arrangements by Kurt Schweitz, a live jazz quintet featuring rapper/singer/host Taylor Mallory and tap dancing.  Musicians and bands to be covered include Chicago, Smashing Pumpkins, Chaka Khan, Curtis Mayfield and more. Doors open one hour prior to start time and the running time of the performance is one hour and twenty minutes including one short break. Tickets are $40 for reserved admission seating and may be purchased at ChicagoTapTheatre.com, by calling 800-440-8539 or at the door, pending availability. Group discounts are also available for groups of 10 or more.

NAACP Image® Award-winning Actress Wendy Raquel Robinson and GRAMMY® Award-nominated R&B singer Tank will host the 2019 Bounce Trumpet Awards, an exciting night of inspiration, history and crowd-rousing performances celebrating African-American achievements and contributions. 

Broadway Advocacy Coalition? and Columbia Law School? announce the participants in their collaborative course entitled: The Theater of Change: Building the Capacity for Impact through Artistry, Law, and Activism.

The Kleban Foundation has announced the recipients of the 29th Annual Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre. The judges declared a tie in the most promising musical theatre lyricist category between Sarah Hammond and Shaina Taub. The Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre librettist has been awarded to Charlie Sohne. The 2019 prizes will be presented on Monday, February 4, 2018, in a private ceremony (by invitation only) hosted by ASCAP and BMI at ASCAP.

Blue Note Hawaii is kicking off 2019 with some of music and comedy's biggest names. G. Love will get you in the partying mood, followed by two rounds of comedy with Patton Oswalt and Gary Owen. Swing kings Big Bad Voodoo Daddy return, Anthony David performs the music of Bill Withers and guitar phenom Jonny Lang performs for four nights. Singer-songwriter Joshua Radin makes his Blue Note debut. The Beach Boys' Al Jardine is sure to please crowds, '90s R&B supergroup All-4-One perform for three nights and John Sebastian from the Lovin' Spoonful will take you down memory lane. Local artists include Tim Rose in his "Aloha for Now" show, the incomparable Willie K, reggae artist Sister Nancy, the exciting Dae Han Quintet, local favorites Good Foot Hawaii and Punahou alum Willy Falk.

NYC-based, dark synth pop artist, L'FREAQ, shares the visuals for her single, 'New Skin,' via Nylon. The track is from her new EP, Weird Awakenings, which is out now. 

JAG Productions joins full-ship African-American music festival at sea with its production of the profound jazz musical, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Georgetown University celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a free, ticketed musical tribute titled Let Freedom Ring!

Xiuhtezcatl (pronounced Shoe-Tez-Caht), young and progressive hip-hop artist, made it into the public eye as an activist speaking out on critical issues including climate change and Indigenous rights. He also performed and supported the Standing Rock movement. When he first started to write bars, he initially meant them to be a creative outlet for his activism.  Xiuhtezcatl recalls “I saw this album serving as a call to action for the world. Calling my generation to overcome the limitations and boundaries our broken world has placed on us. Calling on our communities to break free from the oppression and injustice that we face.” But as the album and tracks progressed the artistic process took hold, and became less about his work as an activist, and more of a reflection of Xiuhtezcatl's growth and self-discovery as a young man and an artist. Xiuhtezcatl drops his powerful debut album, Break Free, out now and available everywhere.

Broadway Advocacy Coalition and Columbia Law School continue their multi-year partnership with an upcoming January workshop entitled The Theater of Change: Building the Capacity for Impact through Artistry, Law, and Activism.

"Send Me on My Way"… to Hey Nonny for some killer performances! The newest live music destination and gastropub in Chicagoland, Hey Nonny, 10 S. Vail Ave, proudly adds three amazing acts to its November lineup. Front man for the multi-platinum group Rusted Root, Michael Glabicki, is set to rock out with Dirk Miller, the band's guitarist, at 8:30 p.m. on November 9. Chicago native and internationally-loved musician David Davis hits the Hey Nonny stage for his hometown album release concert at 8:30 p.m. on November 16. On Saturday, November 17 at 8:00 p.m., Chicago favorite JC Brooks Band will bring down the house.

The Marcus Center is excited to have Chris Crain return to Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall this holiday season with A Soulful Christmas on Saturday, December 22 at 7:30 pm. Tickets go on sale this Friday, October 26 at 12:00 pm at the Marcus Center Box Office at 929 North Water Street, Downtown Milwaukee, by phone at 414-273-7206, or online at MarcusCenter.org or Ticketmaster.com. Groups of 10 or more should contact Groups Sales by calling 414-273-7121 x210 or x213. This engagement is presented as part of the Marcus Center Presents series and is sponsored by The Fitz at the Ambassador Hotel.

Xiuhtezcatl (pronounced Shoe-Tez-Caht), young and progressive hip-hop artist, made it into the public eye as an activist speaking out on critical issues including climate change and Indigenous rights. He also performed and supported the Standing Rock movement. When he first started to write bars, he initially meant them to be a creative outlet for his activism.  Xiuhtezcatl recalls “I saw this album serving as a call to action for the world. Calling my generation to overcome the limitations and boundaries our broken world has placed on us. Calling on our communities to break free from the oppression and injustice that we face.” But as the album and tracks progressed the artistic process took hold, and became less about his work as an activist, and more of a reflection of Xiuhtezcatl's growth and self-discovery as a young man and an artist. Xiuhtezcatl is due to release his powerful debut album, Break Free, on October 5th.

City Winery Chicago has announced that Katharine McPhee will perform on Monday, November 5th. City Winery also announced many other shows, including its annual 10,000 Maniacs Valentine's run. The following shows go on sale to the public on Thursday, September 27 at noon. All tickets will be available at citywinery.com/chicago.