Ari Lennox concerts in Europe
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Courtney Shanade Salter (born March 26, 1991), better known by her professional name Ari Lennox, is an American singer and songwriter from Washington, D.C. She is the first female artist to be signed to J. Cole's record label, Dreamville Records. She released her first EP on the label on October 21, 2016, titled Pho, where she began gaining recognition. Her debut studio album Shea Butter Baby was released on May 7, 2019. Ari Lennox describes her own voice as "vulnerable but soulful; imperfect but pretty". Her voice has been compared to Erykah Badu. Referencing her artistry, she explains: "Sometimes women are put in this box where we're only supposed to talk about certain things, I want to be braver and riskier. I think people want to hear that kind of honesty and frankness." Ari Lennox said in multiple interviews that she is inspired by 90s and 2000s R&B singers such as Mariah Carey, Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, Bilal, Whitney Houston, Aaliyah, Lauryn Hill, Amerie, Ciara, SWV, Mary J Blige, among many others, and soul singer Minnie Riperton. In an interview with The Fader, she also mentioned her admiration of Kanye West and how she found multiple other artists through him. The Gateway described Ari Lennox's sound as "successfully blends individual slices of classic Motown, modern R&B, and new-age soul into one seamless product."