Elegant Symphony Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication...

I didn't blog at all yesterday and I cant sleep right now, so I present a special 3am edition. The artist for today , who I am currently listening to, is Ayọ, hailing from Cologne, Germany. Ayọ is a German born singer/songwriter of Nigerian descent. Her real name is Joy; Ayọ is the translation of her name in her father's native language of Yoruba.

Ayọ has a voice that is absolutely heavenly. She's not overly expressive in her delivery and she doesn't really have the most powerful voice out there. It is, however, soft and pleasing, hence the reason I'm listening to her at 3am. Her accent is also delightful and adds a bit of flavor. I was first attracted to her graceful voice when I heard the single "What is Love" (featured), from then on I've been a fan.

Ayọ has released two studio albums, Joyful (2006) and Gravity at Last (2008). My personal favorite is Joyful, although Gravity at Last is good in its own right. Joyful is really an acoustic album which mainly features the soft melodies of her voice. She tells a story in her lyrics, with each song painting a beautiful portrait. I'd recommend both albums but definitely check out Joyful.