“Loves people, hates shoes, makes music.” How’s that for a manifesto?
On the other hand, those six words don’t really sum up Joy Ike‘s music — but then, you’d need more than a few pages to properly delve into her signature blend of pop, folk, and soul, which Ike charmingly classifies as “soulfolk.” She’s been compared to a long list of piano-playing songstresses whose work is as impressive as it is musically divergent — how many RIYLs include Fiona Apple and Norah Jones? — while remaining resolutely her own artist, and her latest album, the recently released All or Nothing, represents what she calls “the most realized, most complete piece of work I have ever been a part of.”
We talk to a lot of independent artists here at the Radio Hour, and the responsibilities and struggles of the modern indie artist are a common theme on the show. It’s a subject near and dear to Joy Ike’s heart, as she is not only free of label backing — All or Nothing was funded via Kickstarter — but she’s given back to the artistic community by founding Grassrootsy, an organization dedicated to helping indie musicians find their audience while managing their own careers.
It all added up to a fascinating chat for your hosts, one that gave us a chance to talk industry shop while delving into one of the more accomplished, purely enjoyable pop albums of 2013 (so far). Have a listen!
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