SAY YES REVOLVED

Description

Slam poetry, rap battles, singing, songwriting, and percussion. Iyeoka (pronounced: ee-yo-kah) is well-versed in many expressive arts, but she is essentially a storyteller and a poet. "My goal is very simple," says the Nigerian-American, "I want to move the world, one poem at a time." She does this enchantingly with her album "Say Yes (R)evolved." In her musically accompanied poems, Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo (her full name) reveals herself to be a strong and confident woman of the modern world. She tells stories of love and relationships in the 21st century and reflects on the daily struggles of life and being a woman in a post-feminist world, drawing deeply and personally from her African roots. Musically, Iyeoka skillfully navigates a wide variety of styles, from the electronic soul of "Break Down Mode" to the techno R'n'B of "Broken Hearts Anthem (Walk Away)," from energetic dance-inducing grooves like "The Yellow Brick Road Song" to a jazzier "Happily Ever After," from melodic soft rock in "Say Yes" to pop in "Soundtrack to Life" and reggae in "Testify." She has presence and shines with a silky elegance reminiscent of Sade in "This Time Around" and "Simply Falling." This woman has real talent for all tastes, and she knows how to use it! Iyeoka was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Nigerian parents. After leaving school, she studied pharmacy at Northeastern University and then worked as a pharmacist. At the same time, she was developing her artistic interests, but it wasn't until around 2003 that they became more than just hobbies. Iyeoka wondered if she really wanted to stay behind a counter for the rest of her life, and shortly after, she began to nurture her undernourished passion for poetry; the answer she discovered was obvious. For Iyeoka, as a "believer in God," writing her eloquent verses has been an almost religious experience; she says it feels like "someone 'up there' is helping me while I write." To deepen these experiences, she left pharmacy and began to grow as a spoken word artist, regularly participating in poetry slam competitions and winning them. Very quickly, she felt comfortable and confident enough to perform alongside artists like Chuck D of Public Enemy, Musiq Soulchild, Vivian Green, Gil Scott-Heron, Sonia Sanchez (activist of the Black Arts Movement), and the recently deceased writer Amiri Baraka. Always seeking new challenges, Iyeoka has conquered many forms of "the art of sound." First by forming the group The Rock By Funk Tribe, which allowed her to weave together spoken and sometimes sung poetry with elements of jazz, funk, blues, and gospel, then in 2004, she released her first solo album "Black And Blues," followed in 2008 by "Hum The Bass Line" and the live recording "Live @ KTUH Honolulu." That same year, she covered U2's hit "Desire" for the tribute CD "In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrate U2," alongside Angelique Kidjo, Vieux Farka Touré, and Les Nubians. In 2009, Iyeoka shifted her style from "Poem songs" to more traditional melodic songwriting. Collaborating with producer David Franz, she released the EPs "This Time Around" and "Run Into The Rain," which was the precursor to "Say Yes." This was her burgeoning new format and it gave her a significant breakthrough in America. The album's single "Yellow Brick Road Song" was used in the HBO television series "How To Make It In America" and in 2011 as the theme song for the series "Fairly Legal." At the same time, the official music video for "Simply Falling" became a phenomenal success on YouTube, with over 215 million views to date! With all her energy and incredibly positive aura, this East Coast artist of the United States sends a message of joy and confidence. Iyeoka, whose name in the Nigerian Esan language means "Respect me," is convinced that a remedy for the ills and suffering of our civilizations is possible if we consciously tap into the power of the "moment." In a recent interview, she emphasized that her goals in life haven't really changed since she left her pharmacy career. Before that, her goal was to relieve the physical discomfort of her fellow humans with medication; now she wants to alleviate psychological pains using music. The advantage of healing music over pharmaceuticals is, of course, that you don't need a prescription, and more importantly, you don't have to worry about unwanted side effects.