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Whose India.Arie?

She`s 25 year old dreadlocked singer named for Mahatma Gandhi whose song `Video` has become an anthem for celebrating womanhood.

But she never really had tangible evidence until she released Video, her song of self-celebration for the woman who`s "not the average girl in your video". The 25-year-old dreadlocked singer wrote the tune to exult in her own beauty. It has become an anthem for women tired of trying to conform to out-of-reach female images depicted in the media. Since its debut, she has been inundated with letters and messages.

"Women young and old, they say, `Thank you so much for that song, thank you so much`", says India.Arie Simpson, who got her name (pronounced India-ah-ree) in part because she shares a birthday with India`s Mahatma Gandhi. (The dot is simply to separate the names.) "I always had this ideal of what music could do, like the power of music and the power of words. I would always think that I was being kind of naive, that music can change the way people think and change how people feel about themselves ... (but now) the power of words and music is proven to me everywhere I go".

The song has not only boosted some listeners` self-esteem; it has lifted sales and recognition for India.Arie`s debut album, Acoustic Soul. Released just two months ago, the critically acclaimed disc has already been certified gold.