Toazted video interview with Laura Izibor

Posted on 08. Feb, 2010 by quynhgiao in Actors, Celebrities

Only 21 years of age and tipped and compared by Rolling Stone magazine to Alicia, Aretha and Angie Stone. On top also on tour with John Legend. It’s all happening to soul singer Laura Izibor.

About Laura Izibor

Laura Elizabeth Arabosa Izibor (born 13 May 1987) is an half Nigerian Irish recording artist, musician and producer. She won the RTÉ 2fm song contest while still in secondary school. She went on to win an award at the 2006 Meteor Music Awards. She also performed at that year’s Electric Picnic music festival and Music Ireland 2007. Izibor has opened for Aretha Franklin, India.Arie, Estelle, Maxwell and John Legend on tour.

Her debut album, Let the Truth Be Told, was released in Ireland on Friday 8 May 2009, and in the UK on Monday 18 May with a U.S. release to follow on 16 June.

Life and career

1987–2003: Early life and career beginnings

Laura Elizabeth Arabosa Izibor was born in 13 May 1987 in Dublin, Ireland. She is the fourth of five children born to Irish mother Trish and Nigerian father Saul. Izibor’s parents separated when she was seven and she was raised by her mother. As a child, she faced racial discrimination. She recalled being “paranoid about one teacher in particular, who I think was a racist” as well as “a few kids who made stupid little comments here and there”. After singing “When You Believe”, a duet by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, in her drama class, she discovered her interest for music; she began writing songs at age 13 and taught herself how to play the piano at 14. At age 15, public service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) held a song competition by radio station RTÉ 2fm, which Izibor won. Her winning song, “Compatible”, received constant airplay after she won the competition; RTÉ also filmed a documentary of Izibor after winning the competition.

2004–present: Let the Truth Be Told

At age 17, Izibor was signed to Jive Records and dropped out of school to record her debut album. After a dispute with the label, she signed with Atlantic Records and subsequently moved to New York after her mentor, Steve Lunt, was offered a job at the label. She won an award at the 2006 Meteor Music Award and became the first unsigned recording artist to receive a nomination. Izibor’s debut album, Let the Truth Be Told, was released in May 2009. The album debuted at number two on the Irish Albums Chart.