Gabrielle - Queen of 90s British Soul? (Gabrielle in general)

Member Name: Cwej1

Product:	Gabrielle in general
Date:	15/11/01 (189 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: THAT voice, Lyrics that speak to you

Disadvantages: Becoming a little bit formulaic

Louise Gabrielle Bobb (aka Gabrielle) is officially the most successful British female solo artist since Dusty Springfield - some huge feat for the woman who was temping in London offices just 10 short years ago, whilst singing in Soho clubs to try and realise her dreams of becoming a singer.

As it happens her Dreams did come true, as her first single prophesised. Gabrielle has been quoted as having written the song on the walk home from one of those nights in Soho clubs after somebody told her that she just wasn't cut out to make it in the big time - The irony! 'Dreams' was deservedly Gabrielle's first No.1 single after breaking into the country's hearts in June 1993.

The song was quickly followed up by the storming 'Going Nowhere', the sweet 'I Wish' and the flowing 'Because Of You', each reaching the top 30 in quick succession. Her debut album 'Find Your Way' also crept into the top 30. However, Gabrielle's impact on the country did not come about until much later on in her career - 'Dreams' is perhaps the only one of those 4 singles truly remembered by the public.

There was a 2 year hiatus between Gabrielle's first and second albums, when she became pregnant with her (now six-year-old) son Jordan. Lesser singers tend to falter with such a long break between first and second albums, but given the incredible originality of style of the comeback single, 'Give Me A Little More Time', Gabrielle managed to score herself her biggest hit since 'Dreams', making No.5 and becoming the 28th biggest selling single of 1996. Her style had changed from dance-pop to a more mature live-sounding Motown influenced soul.

The powerful 6th single 'Forget About The World' went by criminally unnoticed and even sold less than the largely boring 7th single 'If You Really Cared'.

Once again, like in 1994, Gabrielle seemed to be losing her touch on
the charts - but she has repeatedly come back from these moments with bigger singles. Teaming up with East 17, she released the duet 'If You Ever', which peaked at No.2 and was the 18th biggest seller of 1996. She then released her second successive cover 'Walk On By', which also reached the top 10.

Her most critically-acclaimed album to date, self-titled, reached No.11 and spent most of 1996 in the chart.

Once again Gabrielle left the scene for 2 years. This time there was more drama than just a pregnancy as the father of Gabrielle's son was found guilty of murdering his stepfather brutally with a samurai sword.

However, in 1999, Gabrielle came back once again with the underrated r'n'b tune, 'Sunshine', dedicated to her son and mother. It was just the beginning of Gabrielle's most successful period to date.

When the haunting ballad 'Rise', featuring a sample from Bob Dylan's 'Knocking On Heaven's Door', was released in early 2000 it became a shock No.1 hit, the second of Gabrielle's career, and one of the biggest selling singles of the year.

For the first time, Gabrielle reached the top 10 with an album, also titled 'Rise' - and it gradually climbed the chart till it reached No.1. 'Rise' has now sold 4 times platinum in the UK alone and is one of the biggest selling albums by a female artist in the UK of all time.

'When A Woman' was a cheap uptempo-summer-Motowny cash-in single to follow 'Rise'. It also made the top 10 (her 5th consecutive top 10 hit single). The far superior 'Should I Stay' peaked at No.13.

The latest part of Gabrielle's career however is where she might falter. Now that the public have accepted her music totally, she is appearing to follow a bit of a formula for her songs. The singles in 2001, 'Out Of Reach' and 'Don't Need The Sun To Shine (To Make Me Smile
)', both reached the top 10 - but were as formulaic as songs could come.

November 2001 saw the release of Gabrielle's 'Dreams Can Come True - Greatest Hits Vol 1' and at time of writing is due to enter the album charts at No.3, only behind huge albums from Westlife and Madonna. The only new track on the album 'If I Walked Away' is a VERY good track, written in the Motown-esque style of 'Give Me A Little More Time' and 'If You Really Cared', which is a blessing considering the mediocrity of her last two singles.

The future for Gabrielle is unknown. 31-years-old, the world at her feet, she has at least 2 or 3 more albums life left in her it seems. But will we have to wait years again for a comeback? We'll have to wait and see. :)

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