Macy L. Freeman with The Washington Post interviewed Goapele after watching a performance at the Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, Va.
Q: How would you say “Break of Dawn” is different from your previous albums?
A: “Break of Dawn,” musically, is still soulful and eclectic, but I think I opened up a little bit more vocally. It’s a little more intimate. It’s a little more sensual than before—and pensive.
A: “Break of Dawn,” musically, is still soulful and eclectic, but I think I opened up a little bit more vocally. It’s a little more intimate. It’s a little more sensual than before—and pensive.
Q: Of the nine tracks on” Break of Dawn,” which would you say means the most to you and why?
A: I would say “Pieces” and “Tears on My Pillow” and—you know—those are my ballads and their bluesy and sentimental for me.
A: I would say “Pieces” and “Tears on My Pillow” and—you know—those are my ballads and their bluesy and sentimental for me.
Q: What do you hope listeners take away from the new album?
A: I want people to feel inspired. I want people to feel good. I want people to feel something. I want people to strive for what they want in their life, and I want them to heal from anything that’s hurting them.
A: I want people to feel inspired. I want people to feel good. I want people to feel something. I want people to strive for what they want in their life, and I want them to heal from anything that’s hurting them.
Q: You once said, “Soul is kind of the root of the music that I do, but I want to keep redefining.” How do you go about doing that, and how do you feel about being placed into the neo-soul category?
A: I say that I do Soul, R&B music. I have so many influences from Billie Holiday, Nina Simone to Stevie Wonder and Prince and even Al Green and Bjork. And a lot of Hip Hop music has influenced me a lot—you know—De La Soul and Digital Underground and A Tribe Called Quest. So many different influences that when I’m in the studio, you know as a songwriter, I like feeling free and going with the vibe and letting the song grow as it should. Sometimes that doesn’t fit exactly into any category, so I have to keep redefining how to describe the music that I do. But I promise that it will always be soulful, because it will come from my soul.
A: I say that I do Soul, R&B music. I have so many influences from Billie Holiday, Nina Simone to Stevie Wonder and Prince and even Al Green and Bjork. And a lot of Hip Hop music has influenced me a lot—you know—De La Soul and Digital Underground and A Tribe Called Quest. So many different influences that when I’m in the studio, you know as a songwriter, I like feeling free and going with the vibe and letting the song grow as it should. Sometimes that doesn’t fit exactly into any category, so I have to keep redefining how to describe the music that I do. But I promise that it will always be soulful, because it will come from my soul.
Q: What inspired you to name the album “Break of Dawn?”
A: When I was finished recording everything and all of these songs are just glimpses of moments of different feelings and thoughts that I’ve had or different stories that are part my own and part collected that I want to tell. I wanted a title that would capture all of that and capture where I’m trying to go and I feel like the break of dawn is infinite possibilities for what that day will bring.
A: When I was finished recording everything and all of these songs are just glimpses of moments of different feelings and thoughts that I’ve had or different stories that are part my own and part collected that I want to tell. I wanted a title that would capture all of that and capture where I’m trying to go and I feel like the break of dawn is infinite possibilities for what that day will bring.
Q: When did you first discover that music was the path you wanted to take?
A: Well, I remember when I was in elementary school, maybe like 8 years old or something. I was around a lot of performing artists that were friends of the family and I just always felt like ‘that’s what I want to do.’ In high school I started training, singing with choirs and getting voice lessons and doing a lot of creative writing and decided that that’s really what I wanted to pursue as a career and that’s what I was going to study.
A: Well, I remember when I was in elementary school, maybe like 8 years old or something. I was around a lot of performing artists that were friends of the family and I just always felt like ‘that’s what I want to do.’ In high school I started training, singing with choirs and getting voice lessons and doing a lot of creative writing and decided that that’s really what I wanted to pursue as a career and that’s what I was going to study.
Q: What music are you listening to right now?
A: I’m listening to James Blake and Frank Ocean, Erykah Badu—Ledisi.
A: I’m listening to James Blake and Frank Ocean, Erykah Badu—Ledisi.
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