Laura Izibor 'Let The Truth Be Told' album

Laura Izibor releases her much anticipated debut album, "Let The Truth Be Told," today. The album, which features the hit single, "From My Heart To Yours," is already shaping up as a breakthrough hit for the Dublin-based singer. The song 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.

The companion video clip for "From My Heart To Yours" is now in major rotation at VH1, VH1 Soul, and BETJ. Furthermore, VH1 has named Laura one of their prestigious "You Oughta Know" artists, and -- marking a first for a new artist -- both Rhapsody, which named Laura a "Ones to Watch" artist, and VH1's THE LEAK jointly shared the streaming premiere for "Let The Truth Be Told." In addition, Laura's forthcoming single, "Don't Stay," will be the single of the week on iTunes beginning today.

In other great news, Laura will hit the road alongside Maxwell beginning tomorrow, June 17th at the DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids, MI. The tour culminates with a coveted slot on the main stage of the Essence Festival on July 4th in New Orleans, LA. (See below for full listing of dates.) Laura, a tireless performer, recently finished up a U.S. tour supporting India.Arie, and has shared the stage with such greats as Aretha Franklin, Al Green, John Legend, James Brown, Angie Stone, and Atlantic labelmate Estelle.

Izibor has drawn tremendous praise in a wide range of national and international publications, including Rolling Stone, which featured her among its "Artists To Watch." Billboard wrote, "'Let The Truth Be Told'... is personal, real, honest, strong and biblical." 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," while Essence hailed Laura "Best New Artist."

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 praising "Let The Truth Be Told" as "a marvel -- (Izibor's) killer voice slicing through a passel of breezy R&B."

Izibor -- who is currently featured as Steve Madden Music's "Artist Spotlight" -- has already had her songs included in an array of films and television series, including "Grey's Anatomy," "The Nanny Diaries," "Step Up 2: The Streets," "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married," "Seven Pounds," and MTV's "The Hills." Laura will make her national TV debut performing as part of "CBS Saturday Early Show's" "Second Cup Café" series on June 20th (check local listings).

Laura Izibor tour dates
ON TOUR WITH MAXWELL
June 17 Grand Rapids, MI DeVos Performance Hall
June 19 Hammond, IN The Venue
June 20 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theatre
June 23 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
June 24 Vancouver, CAN The Centre
June 26 Las Vegas, NV The Pearl
June 29 Phoenix, AZ Dodge
July 1 Austin, TX Bass
July 2 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre
July 4 New Orleans, LA Mainstage at Essence Festival
(Superdome)

Laura Izibor biography
Born to a working class family in Dublin, Ireland, Izibor admits she didn't grow up in a musical household. "My mother raised five kids on her own, so there wasn't much time to buy records - it wasn't that kind of home. I found myself fancying music at about 13." Once the love for musicians like Stevie Wonder, Candi Stanton, and Roberta Flack took hold, she was smitten for good. "One door opened to the next - first I discovered Marvin Gaye, and then Otis Redding, and I just fell in love with soul music." At the age of 15, Izibor won a prestigious national performance competition, the "2FM Song Contest." At 17, she started work on her debut album, taking the time to really hone her songs. Let The Truth Be Told was recorded over the course of four years in a diverse range of cities: New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Dublin among them. Laura also performed live constantly during this period, finding her true home onstage. Having performed several sold-out shows in Ireland, and opened for acts including James Brown, Angie Stone, and The Roots, she's earned the affectionate moniker "The Soul of Ireland" from the folks back home.

Early 2009 will reveal the fruits of this process, when Izibor releases the fully self-penned and co-produced Let The Truth Be Told. "The title felt like a strong, almost biblical statement," she explains. "I've written this album because it's my truth. It's a sincere record and it has a feel of survival in it as well." Izibor resisted the urge to feature established artists on various tracks, instead creating a revealing, and very personal, document of this moment in her life. "I didn't want to be anybody's protégé," she says. "It's very tempting to put in the reinforcements, but for my debut album I wanted it to be 100% from me."

The songs are ripe with authenticity, from the sassy, soulful album opener, "Shine," to the magnificent and deeply personal "If Tonight Is My Last," to the anthemic and inspirational "Mmm," which colored the soundtrack of Step Up 2: The Streets. With her tracks also featured on Grey's Anatomy, The Hills, and The Nanny Diaries, Izibor has found that airing her heartfelt take on life and love has translated to the hopes and struggles of various characters, as well as to the people at home watching them. "I hope people take away a sense of honesty and realness in the record. 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 Izibor, the process of bringing her Truth to light has had a long gestation period, taking her around the world and back. She's poised and ready for her moment. "Life is good. Music is amazing. It's just a great, unusual thing to be doing what I love, and I'm genuinely grateful. I come from a working class family, so my bothers and sisters and my mother worked so many jobs their whole life, just trying to provide for us. That's why I'm extremely humbled and grateful to be able to do something that is not only what I love, but pretty unbelievable."

Let the Truth Be Told will be released June 16th, 2009 on Atlantic Records.

Do you also would like to share your opinion? If so, please register or login here.

Details

Popular Songs

New Songs

Tracklisting

Laura Izibor - Let The Truth Be Told