Why do we love soul music? And by "we," I clearly mean anyone who has any taste in music whatsoever.
The smooth yet gravelly voices? The way you can listen to it casually, as background music for, uh, whatever it is that you're doing in the bedroom? Or maybe it's more about how you can also listen to soul music intensely. Even the same song, over and over again, each time gaining a new appreciation for the improvisitation and the delicate instrumentation. Soul music's uniquely powerful take on that most universal of themes must be part of the reason, right? Aretha feeling like a natural woman, or Al Green talking about staying together or breaking up or how beautiful you are or... you know, that dude could talk about frying squid and it would be romantic and sexy. And what about soul music's hopeful or exquisitely painful stories about struggle? Sam Cooke telling us that a change is gonna come. Marvin Gaye, asking "what's goin on?" or Alicia Keys imploring us to wake up.
Yeah, all of this is what makes soul music great. And just the other night, I saw a new, up-and-coming soul singer who can do it all.
Goapele, a beautiful young woman hailing from Oakland, California, put on a dazzling show in Hollywood on Saturday night. She brought it in the way that only soul artists can. She started the set with her new song about "First Love", then suddenly she was talking about how we need a new president. She sung about the war and about poor people in Los Angeles. But she didn't just bring us down or lecture about the need to get out and vote. The hope of soul music was definitely there all night. And then, just like that, she broke it way down with this hot track, talking about how her man is "so fucking romantic, I can't stand it." She finished up the set with her biggest hit so far, "Closer," and by the time the encore set was over, she made all of us in the club feel closer to our dreams.
Her band, The Heat, consists of just a rocking guitarist, a 7-string bassist, an amazing drummer (completely in the pocket), and a very swanky keyboardist. And they were on point all night. Moving effortlessly between jazz, rock, and classic soul -- despite an average age that must be about 30 -- they clearly have their chops.
And Goapele herself has a style way beyond her 28 years. She eschews the tremelo and other vocal gymnastics that characterizes most of today's R&B and soul music in favor of a deep, silky-smooth mezzo-soprano that lilts just enough to be both seductive and serious. This woman has the makings of a major soul star with all the trimmings. She reminds us of why we love soul music in the first place.
Goapele's Change It All drops in December, and Even Closer is available now.
The smooth yet gravelly voices? The way you can listen to it casually, as background music for, uh, whatever it is that you're doing in the bedroom? Or maybe it's more about how you can also listen to soul music intensely. Even the same song, over and over again, each time gaining a new appreciation for the improvisitation and the delicate instrumentation. Soul music's uniquely powerful take on that most universal of themes must be part of the reason, right? Aretha feeling like a natural woman, or Al Green talking about staying together or breaking up or how beautiful you are or... you know, that dude could talk about frying squid and it would be romantic and sexy. And what about soul music's hopeful or exquisitely painful stories about struggle? Sam Cooke telling us that a change is gonna come. Marvin Gaye, asking "what's goin on?" or Alicia Keys imploring us to wake up.
Yeah, all of this is what makes soul music great. And just the other night, I saw a new, up-and-coming soul singer who can do it all.
Goapele, a beautiful young woman hailing from Oakland, California, put on a dazzling show in Hollywood on Saturday night. She brought it in the way that only soul artists can. She started the set with her new song about "First Love", then suddenly she was talking about how we need a new president. She sung about the war and about poor people in Los Angeles. But she didn't just bring us down or lecture about the need to get out and vote. The hope of soul music was definitely there all night. And then, just like that, she broke it way down with this hot track, talking about how her man is "so fucking romantic, I can't stand it." She finished up the set with her biggest hit so far, "Closer," and by the time the encore set was over, she made all of us in the club feel closer to our dreams.
Her band, The Heat, consists of just a rocking guitarist, a 7-string bassist, an amazing drummer (completely in the pocket), and a very swanky keyboardist. And they were on point all night. Moving effortlessly between jazz, rock, and classic soul -- despite an average age that must be about 30 -- they clearly have their chops.
And Goapele herself has a style way beyond her 28 years. She eschews the tremelo and other vocal gymnastics that characterizes most of today's R&B and soul music in favor of a deep, silky-smooth mezzo-soprano that lilts just enough to be both seductive and serious. This woman has the makings of a major soul star with all the trimmings. She reminds us of why we love soul music in the first place.
Goapele's Change It All drops in December, and Even Closer is available now.
Erik, nice try but I'm still not going to sleep with you.
Why don't you try writing an ode to my (completely in the pocket)drummer. He seemed to like you.