Artist Statement

“Nature Boy” is a story told by violinist Preston Bell Charles III. Preston describes a moment in which he was racially profiled and unjustly arrested by the police on his doorstep one night after returning home from a performance. The title, inspired by Nat King Cole’s song “Nature Boy” draws parallels to Preston’s story and soul.

Biography

Cincinnati, Ohio native, Ingrid Woode is a graduate of Tuskegee University. She worked as a chemist for seven years while building her career as a musician. Ingrid has released three albums, two of them internationally, and has toured Spain, Portugal, Italy and London. Her work was performed to a sold-out crowd at Music Hall by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. She won a People’s Choice Award songwriting contest, and has written and produced for Grammy-winning artists such as Queen Latifah and Lalah Hathaway.

Through her production company, iWOODE Productions, she produces content for businesses throughout the United States, and also produces her own short films and documentaries. Ingrid says, “God simply gave a painfully quiet girl the gift to observe and to tell stories. Music and film are the tools I use to tell those stories.” Follow her on Instagram @i_woode.