ARIE TO LAUNCH RECORD LABEL

Soul star INDIA.ARIE is to add music executive to her resume - she's launching her own record label called SoulBird Music. The singer has teamed up with Universal Republic Records for the new project, and she has already signed her first three artists to the label, with her longtime collaborator Anthony David releasing his debut album Acey Deucey via SoulBird this summer (08). Describing the label's philosophy as "music with wings", Arie says, "In this era, soul is not a sound or a colour, it's an intention. "James Taylor has it and so does Al Green, John Mayer and Anthony David. That's the kind of music I want SoulBird to represent - music with intelligence and heart, music that moves people in their souls and their bodies. Music with wings."