DECEMBER 2017 SEPTEMBER | ISSUE #62 <strong>2018</strong> | | NEWTON ISSUE #71 FAULKNER 34
FEATURE FEATURE SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER <strong>2018</strong> <strong>2018</strong> | ISSUE | ISSUE #71 | #71 GABRIELLE GABRIELLE We speak to Gabrielle about her latest album ‘Under My Skin’... As soon as you hear The Voice, you know it can’t be anyone else. 25 years since her debut single Dreams reached No.1 in the UK, Gabrielle’s voice remains pure, seductive and gloriously unique, one of the most compelling, natural voices in British pop history. In a world of beats-driven electro-pop and synthesised auto-tune, my, how we’ve missed it. Under My Skin is a lavishly-produced, classy collection of irresistibly sing-along songs, collaboratively created with producers and writers behind Corrine Bailey Rae, Amy Winehouse and Paloma Faith. In late July <strong>2018</strong>, the single Shine, an orchestral pop epic written with production super-Swedes Tobias Lundgren and Tim Larsson, was the No.1 most-played song on Radio 2, its video seeing Gabrielle in a scarlet gown, arms outstretched, re-emerging as a stately Grand Diva of transcendental grandeur. Five million albums sold, 2 Brit Awards, 2 Mobos, an Ivor Novello in 2008 for Outstanding Song Collection (after five previous nominations) and Gabrielle is acknowledged today as not only a stunning vocalist but a writer of instantly memorable melody. Under My Skin, her first studio album in 11 years, is quintessential Gabrielle, who “freestyles” over musical ideas, with no lyrics yet written, to create her signature sound. Since her fifth album Always in 2007, Gabrielle’s been a working mum-of-two, spending time on “the school run” (her youngest is now 15), song-writing at home, performing one-off shows across Europe and promoting her 2013 Greatest Hits anniversary collection Now and Always: 20 Years of Dreaming. Rachel Ducker catches up with Gabrielle to here all about it. R: Hi Gabrielle how are you today? I am fine thank you, a bit knackered, I did a show in Birmingham last night, the album launch, so I got to bed at 5am, and so I am sorry if I am a bit slow this morning! R: I watched your show on your Instagram story this morning and it looked amazing! [laughs] The audience were amazing, they were phenomenal–they were so lovely, and it was so hot, but everybody persevered and it was fantastic. R: I can’t imagine how hot it must be on stage with all the heat from the lights? 35