Gabrielle (singer) facts for kids

Louisa Gabriella Bobb (born on July 19, 1969), known as Gabrielle, is a famous English singer and songwriter. She was born in Hackney, London. Her first song, "Dreams", came out in 1993. It quickly became number one on the UK Singles Chart that same year.

Gabrielle has many other popular songs. These include "Going Nowhere", "Give Me a Little More Time", and "Walk On By". She also sang "If You Ever" with the group East 17. After a short break, Gabrielle returned with "Rise" in 2000. This song also reached number one in the UK. Her album, also called Rise, topped the UK Albums Chart for three weeks. Another hit song, "Out of Reach", was featured in the movie Bridget Jones's Diary. In 2001, she released a collection of her best songs called Dreams Can Come True, Greatest Hits Vol. 1.

Gabrielle's Early Life and Inspirations

Gabrielle was born on July 19, 1969, in London. Her parents were from Dominica. She grew up with her three brothers, raised by their mother, Patricia. Gabrielle often says her mother helped her love soul and reggae music.

Her high school teacher also inspired her. Gabrielle shared that she felt inspired when her teacher asked her to write her first poem. Her poems soon turned into songs, and then she started to sing. She also loved 1980s pop music. Some of her favorite artists were Madonna, Culture Club, Duran Duran, and Michael Jackson.

Gabrielle has always had a condition called ptosis. This means one of her eyelids droops a little. When she is in public, she often covers her eye with sunglasses, an eyepatch, a hat, or her hair. After finishing her A-levels, she decided not to study law. Instead, she began singing in nightclubs.

Gabrielle's Music Career Journey

1993–1998: First Albums and Big Hits

Gabrielle's real first name is Louisa, but she uses a different version of her middle name, Gabriella. She explained that she was happy to use her middle name for her stage name.

In June 1993, Gabrielle released her first song, "Dreams". She wrote it with Tim Laws. This song quickly became number one in the UK for three weeks. It was a huge success for a new artist. "Dreams" also did well in the US and Australia. Her second song, "Going Nowhere", reached number nine in the UK. Her first album, Find Your Way, reached number nine on the UK Albums Chart.

In 1996, Gabrielle released her second album, which was self-titled, Gabrielle. It reached number 11 in the UK and sold very well. The first song from this album, "Give Me a Little More Time", got to number five in the UK. Another popular song was "If You Ever", a duet with East 17. This song reached number two in the UK. In 1997, she released her version of "Walk On By", which reached number seven in the UK.

1999–2001: Rise and Greatest Hits Success

Gabrielle started working on her third album, Rise, in 1998. It was released in the UK in October 1999. Rise became her most successful album, reaching number one in the UK. It stayed at the top of the UK Albums Chart for three weeks. The album sold millions of copies.

The first song from the album, "Sunshine", reached number nine in the UK. "Rise" was the second song released from the album. It became her second number one hit in the UK. The song used a part of Bob Dylan's famous song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door". "When a Woman" was another hit from Rise, reaching number six in the UK. The song "Should I Stay" was the last single from the Rise album. It reached number 13 in the UK.

In November 2001, Gabrielle released her first collection of greatest hits. It was called Dreams Can Come True, Greatest Hits Vol. 1. This album was very popular in the UK and was one of the best-selling albums of 2001. The main song from this album was "Out of Reach". It was also on the soundtrack for the movie Bridget Jones's Diary. This song reached number four in the UK. The last song from the album, "Don't Need the Sun to Shine (To Make Me Smile)", reached number nine in the UK.

2004–2008: New Albums and Tours

Gabrielle worked with her usual team to create her fourth album, Play to Win. It came out in May 2004 and reached number ten on the UK Albums Chart. The first song from the album, "Stay the Same", reached number 20 in the UK. She then went on a UK concert tour to support the album.

In October 2007, Gabrielle released her fifth album, Always. Critics liked the album. The first song, "Why", which was a duet with Paul Weller, did not reach the top 40. Always reached number eleven on the UK Albums Chart. Gabrielle also went on a successful UK tour with 14 shows. In 2008, she won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Collection. She also performed as a special guest for Al Green's UK tour.

2009–2012: Time with Family

Gabrielle took a break from her music career during these years. She wanted to spend more time with her two children.

2013–Present: Return to Music and New Albums

After her break, Gabrielle released the album Now and Always: 20 Years of Dreaming in November 2013. This album celebrated 20 years since her first song, "Dreams". It included many of her old hits and seven new songs. She worked with new producers like Naughty Boy and songwriter Emeli Sandé. A new version of "Dreams" with Naughty Boy was released. The album reached number 38 on the UK Albums Chart. She also went on "The 20 Years of Dreaming Tour" in March 2014.

Gabrielle released her sixth album, Under My Skin, in August 2018. This was her first studio album in 11 years. Its release marked 25 years since "Dreams" came out. The first song from this album was "Show Me".

In 2021, Gabrielle appeared on the TV show The Masked Singer as "Harlequin" and finished in fourth place. She then announced her seventh album, Do It Again, which was released in March 2021. Later that year, Gabrielle was in Stormzy's music video for "Mel Made Me Do It".

Gabrielle's eighth album, A Place in Your Heart, was released in May 2024. She started "The Hits Live 2025" tour in March 2025, which continued into April.

Gabrielle's Music Style

Gabrielle's first two albums were inspired by classic soul artists like Marvin Gaye and Barry White. They also had influences from early 1980s British pop music. Her third album, Rise, was about being hopeful and strong.

Her album Play to Win mixed different music styles. Gabrielle said there were even some songs that sounded like Country music. She explained that she wanted to sing all kinds of songs. She believes her music is about love, life, and staying positive.

Gabrielle's Family Life

Gabrielle has two children. Her son was born in 1995, and her daughter was born in 2003.

Gabrielle's Albums

Studio Albums

• Find Your Way (1993)
• Gabrielle (1996)
• Rise (1999)
• Play to Win (2004)
• Always (2007)
• Under My Skin (2018)
• Do It Again (2021)
• A Place in Your Heart (2024)

Compilation Albums

• Rise Underground (2000)
• Dreams Can Come True, Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (2001)
• Now and Always: 20 Years of Dreaming (2013)
• Dreams: The Best Of (2016)

Awards and Recognitions

Gabrielle has won many awards for her music.

BRIT Awards

Black Music Awards

Ivor Novello Awards

MOBO Awards

The Record of the Year

Smash Hits Poll Winners Party

Urban Music Awards

• 2007 – Outstanding Achievement

See also

In Spanish: Gabrielle (cantante) para niños