IRIE LOVE began singing at age thirteen. She was given the name Irie by her father, an avid reggae fan and Love is her mother's family name. She grew up in Hawaii in a small town called Kailua on the island of O'ahu, where Irie was encouraged by her mother to sing solos at the family church. Her six foot-tall stature and natural beauty brought numerous opportunities for both runway and print modeling work as well. In 1998, IRIE LOVE won a statewide talent competition.