Acclaimed Irish Soul Songtress Laura Izibor Announces North American Tour Alongside India.Arie
Acclaimed Irish Soul Songtress Laura Izibor Announces North American Tour Alongside India.Arie; Dates Kick Off April 1st in San Francisco; Eagerly Awaited Debut Album Out June 16th
New York, NY–(MusiqQueen.com) –Mar 27, 2009 — Atlantic recording artist Laura Izibor has announced upcoming North American concert dates kicking off April 1st in San Francisco (see itinerary below). Having recently completed a major European tour supporting John Legend, Izibor will now hit the road alongside India.Arie. The Irish soul sensation has also shared the stage with such greats as Aretha Franklin, Al Green, James Brown, Angie Stone, and Atlantic labelmate Estelle.
Laura’s highly anticipated debut album “LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD” — which includes the single, “From My Heart To Yours” — will be available in stores and via all online retailers on June 16th.
“From My Heart To Yours,” which was featured last year on an episode of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” is already shaping up as a breakthrough hit for the Dublin-based singer. The single is currently ascending the airplay charts at multi-format radio outlets nationwide, including Urban Mainstream and Urban AC, where it has just bulleted into the top 10. In addition, the track’s companion video clip is now in rotation at both BETJ and VH1 Soul.
Izibor has drawn ecstatic praise in a wide range of national and international publications, including Rolling Stone, which recently featured her among its “Artists To Watch.” Billboard included Laura in its “Best Bets – Faces To Watch ’09” section, while Ebony declared Laura to be the “Soul of Ireland,” noting that her music “brings to mind the echo of older, soulful songstresses like Aretha Franklin.”
In the UK, The Guardian singled out Izibor’s melodic and lyrical gifts, pointing out that “LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD” is “full of the kind of catchy tunes that usually mean a record label has spent a mint on expensive writers and producers — but the writing is all her own work… Her lyrics are more intelligent than your average 21-year-old’s — more sophisticated young woman than gobby teen.” Vibe also waxed effusive, naming Laura one of its “Next: Artists On The Verge,” and hailing her album as “a marvel — (Izibor’s) killer voice slicing through a passel of breezy R&B.”
Izibor — who will be featured as Steve Madden Music’s “Artist Spotlight” for May and June — has already had her songs included in an array of films and television series. In addition to “Grey’s Anatomy,” Laura’s music has been featured in “The Nanny Diaries,” “Step Up 2: The Streets,” “Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married,” “Seven Pounds,” and MTV’s “The Hills.”
Born and raised in Dublin, Izibor became enthralled with the sounds of classic soul and R&B at an early age. By 15, she had honed her vocal talent to such a high level that she won Ireland’s prestigious RTÉ 2fm Song Contest. It wasn’t long before Laura began working on what would ultimately become “LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD,” recording her self-penned songs in such cities as New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Dublin. From the sassy “Shine” to the deeply personal “If Tonight Is My Last,” the album is rich with authenticity and passion, its songs revealing Izibor’s uniquely heartfelt take on life and love.
“I hope people take away a sense of honesty and realness in the record,” she says. “They’re just songs written from a really sincere place, and hopefully people can connect to it on some level and relate their own lives to it as well.”
For up-to-the-minute news and information, please visit www.lauraizibor.com and www.myspace.com/lauraizibor.
LAURA IZIBOR ON TOUR WITH INDIA.ARIE
APRIL
01 San Francisco, CA Zellerbach
03 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
04 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
05 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
15 Los Angeles, CA Club Nokia
17 Indio, CA Fantasy Springs Casino
18 San Diego, CA House of Blues
19 Anaheim, CA The Grove Anaheim
30 Foxboro, MA Showcase Live
MAY
01 New York, NY Grand Ballroom @ Manhattan Center
03 Baltimore, MD Ramshead Live
04 Alexandria, VA Birchmere
06 Charlotte, NC Amos Southend
08 Portsmouth, VA Willet Hall
09 Glenside, PA Keswick Theatre
10 Durham, NC Durham Performing Arts Center
12 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theatre
13 St. Paul, MN O’Shaughnessy Auditorium
15 Toronto, ONT Queen Elizabeth Theatre
16 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
17 Chicago, IL House of Blues
21 Dallas, TX McFarlin Auditorium
22 Houston, TX Arena Theatre
24 Memphis, TN Orpheum Theatre