Goapele Talks New Singles and Album “COLOURS” • Interviewed by Wynter Aiken
As her sensual melodies resonate through the hearts of her devoted fans, the return of Goapele is nothing short of a soul-stirring revelation, promising a musical journey that transcends time and space. After a six-year hiatus, the songstress has released her 7th studio album, “COLOURS”.
Goapele is known for her feel-good music and soothing vocals, and her reemergence is giving fans the chance to indulge in a new experience this time around.
While she still made appearances for live performances over the past few years, time away during the pandemic prompted questions about the best use of time away from the scene.
”Besides spending quality time with my family, and going through every recipe of things I’ve never made, how can I use this to fuel my inspiration?” she questioned. “I had to look back and be like it’s been a minute since I put out an album.”
After regrouping, she grabbed the pen, hit the studio, and reconnected with her gifts.
Goapele’s latest single “Purple”, produced by Bedrock, is what she calls a vibe. “The video for ‘Purple’ was pretty much created before I heard it. It was just so vibey and giving me Prince nostalgia, and as soon as I heard it, I just had this natural, sensual feeling,” she recalled.
“It was just like this purple, hazy, smoky, alluring atmosphere. And it was just like how do I capture this lyrically? It just felt like a sensual longing.”
The singer had an ideal collaboration in mind after hearing the track. She partnered with film director Damien Sandaval to bring the visual to life. The Grammy award-winning, Bay Area native is known for his work with artists like Tyga and Migos. “We had never worked together, but I wanted to do something that felt epic,” she shared. Her good friend, actor Omari Hardwick, was cast as her love interest, bringing magnetic chemistry to the screen.
“It was just a good vibe on set and I really enjoyed that. I got to use [Dreamseeker] candles, so I was excited to express myself and give people one more layer to the experience of how I feel the songs.”
Acknowledging her synesthesia, Goapele tapped into her entrepreneurial energy with her Dreamseeker collaboration. The brand curates an immersive experience, merging her music with merchandise through sound, scent, and color. The Tone Series collection features hand-crafted candles paired with tracks from the upcoming album. “I went through a couple hundred samples of different smells so I could get the right vibes for each song,” she said.
The album’s lead single “Time Heals” was released in July 2023, serving as the light at the end of the tunnel for many and the singer herself.
“I wrote ‘Time Heals’ during that time because I needed to trust the process and know that I and my loved ones would make it out on the other side,” she explained. “I started writing it after my stepmother passed away. Things just felt very chaotic, but there were also different hardships that were hard to see the other side of.”
She also recalled an interaction that would have normally been triggering in the past, but realized the trigger never went off. “It was just like oh, things do get easier with time. I’m always trying to figure out how I can get to the next step, push myself further, and follow my purpose. But sometimes the process of getting there is scary. Sometimes we can’t see the road or the end destination.”
As an artist, she remains focused on making a positive impact on the world, hopeful that others will lean on music to navigate tough times. She highlights manifestation and good intentions at the center of her work.
“Lyrically it’s kind of a mix of struggle and optimism. But I don’t want people to feel alone,” she said. “Regardless of how crazy things feel today, the night is still going to come. We get to reset, and God-willing, we’ll wake up in the morning. The sun is going to rise before and after us. The world is going to spin with or without us, so give up some sense of control and trust. Our scars are going to fade, and if we keep doing the personal work, things will get easier.”
Goapele’s new album “COLOURS” is now streaming. The album release party is set to take place in Los Angeles on November 4th, with two live performances. Her 2024 headlining tour is in the works, and fans will soon experience the album live with the aromatic Dreamseeker candles lighting the way to musical bliss.
Lead Image Photography x Skyblaze Recordings
Interview x Wynter Aiken
