Known as an artist who puts soul all into her music, Goapele continues to create music that resonates with the mind, body and spirit. The singer-songwriter is back with her seventh studio album, Colours, to take listeners on an exquisite journey, whether it’s through the hypnotic melodies or her sweet, captivating voice. Each song has a meaning, and Goapele hopes her fans enjoy the entire experience.
Why did you decide to get in this specific lane with your music?
I feel like that’s kind of the lane I’ve always been in. I’ve listened to every type of music. Even if I want to turn up, I might be listening to something else, but for me, I love being a part of people’s personal transformation, and I don’t feel like everything I write has to be positive, more so I just want it to feel authentic. I would love to leave people feeling better than they did before they heard it.
Looking back to 2001 when you made “Closer” to now, do you feel you reached your dreams?
Yes, and I won’t say that in a way that I’m satisfied or in any way have hit a ceiling. There’s like so much farther that I think I should go but to be honest with you my first dream was just to have a career in music, period. Just to be able to have a music career, sustain myself through music, and do what I love for the past 20 years, that was my first dream. I have a beautiful daughter, and to be able to have a life too, that was another dream and accomplishment.
When I first started, I was like, “Can I sell 1,000 CDs?” OK, we sold that. “Can I sell 2,000 CDs? Can I have my music in stores and people actually buy it? Can I sell out shows? Can I impact people? Can I have some kind of positive impact on the world? Can I change anybody’s life?” Then it was like, “Can I sell 100,000 copies of an album?” I had to make measures of success that before it felt wild to never put out an album and not be signed to a major label and be like, “I want to sell 1,000 copies.” It seemed almost like I was saying give me a break, but at the same time, I’m not going to start with “Can I sell a million?”
I want it to be outside of my comfort zone but tangible enough so I can reach it and then get past that. I feel like what “Closer” has done way exceeded my expectations. I never would have imagined that, and there are times that I’m like, “Oh, I have not done enough.” There’s so much more I want to do.
