Gabrielle (singer) facts for kids

Louisa Gabriella Bobb (born on July 19, 1969), known as Gabrielle, is an English singer and songwriter. She was born in Hackney, London.

Gabrielle released her first song, "Dreams", in 1993. It quickly became a number one hit in the UK Singles Chart that same year. Other popular songs from her early career include "Going Nowhere", "Give Me a Little More Time", "Walk On By", and "If You Ever". The last one was a duet with the group East 17.

After a short break, Gabrielle made a big return 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 well-known song, "Out of Reach", was featured in the movie Bridget Jones's Diary and reached number four in the UK. In 2001, she released a collection of her best songs called Dreams Can Come True, Greatest Hits Vol. 1.

Early Life and Background

Gabrielle was born in London. Her parents came from Dominica. She grew up with her three brothers, raised by their mother, Patricia. Gabrielle has said that her mother helped her love soul and reggae music.

Since she was a child, Gabrielle has 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, or her hair.

Music Career Highlights

Starting Out: 1993-1998

In June 1993, Gabrielle released her first song, "Dreams". She wrote this song with Tim Laws. An early version of the song used a part of Tracy Chapman's song "Fast Car". This part was later removed because of copyright infringement rules.

"Dreams" quickly became a huge hit. It reached number one on the UK singles chart and stayed there for three weeks in June 1993. It also did well in the US, reaching number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In Australia, it reached number two.

Her second song, "Going Nowhere", reached number nine in the UK. It was also a big hit from her first album, Find Your Way. Her third song, "I Wish", was not as successful, reaching number 26 in the UK. The fourth and final song from her first album, "Because of You", peaked at number 24. Her debut album, Find Your Way, reached number nine on the UK Albums Chart.

Gabrielle released her second album, Gabrielle, in 1996. It reached number 11 in the UK and sold very well. The first song from this album, "Give Me a Little More Time", brought Gabrielle back into the UK top ten, reaching number five. It stayed in the top 20 for ten weeks.

"Forget About the World" was the second song from the album. It reached number 23 in the UK. The third song, "If You Really Cared", reached number 15. In 1996, Gabrielle also sang a duet with East 17 called "If You Ever". This song reached number two in the UK and was one of her biggest hits. In 1997, her version of "Walk On By" was released and reached number seven in the UK.

Rising to the Top: 1999-2001

Gabrielle started working on her third album, Rise, in 1998. It was released in October 1999 in the UK. This album became her most successful one, reaching number one in the UK and staying there for three weeks. It sold millions of copies.

"Sunshine" was the first song from Rise and reached number nine in the UK. The song "Rise" was the second song released. It became her second number one hit in the UK. This song used a part from Bob Dylan's famous song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door". "Rise" stayed at number one for two weeks in January 2000.

"When a Woman" was released in June 2000 and reached number six in the UK. "Should I Stay" was the fourth and final song from the Rise album. It reached number 13 in the UK.

In November 2001, Gabrielle released her first collection of greatest hits, 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", which was also in the movie Bridget Jones's Diary. It 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.

Later Albums and Tours: 2004-Present

In 2004, Gabrielle released her fourth album, Play to Win. It reached number ten on the UK Albums Chart. The first song from this album, "Stay the Same", reached number 20.

Her fifth album, Always, came out in October 2007. It received good reviews and reached number eleven in the UK. She also went on a successful UK tour that year. In 2008, Gabrielle won an Ivor Novello Award for her collection of songs.

After a break, Gabrielle released 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 hits and seven new songs. She worked with new producers like Naughty Boy and songwriters like Emeli Sandé. The album reached number 38 in the UK. She also went on "The 20 Years of Dreaming Tour" in 2014.

In August 2018, Gabrielle released her sixth album, Under My Skin. This was her first studio album in 11 years. It came out 25 years after "Dreams".

In 2021, Gabrielle appeared on the TV show The Masked Singer as "Harlequin". She finished in fourth place. She then announced her seventh album, Do It Again, which was released in March 2021. Later that year, she appeared 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.

Musical Style

Gabrielle's early albums were inspired by classic soul artists like Marvin Gaye and Barry White. They also had influences from early 1980s British pop music. Her album Rise focused on themes of hope, love, and strength.

For her album Play to Win, Gabrielle mixed different music styles. She said, "There's also a couple of songs which lean more to Country, so there will be a couple of surprises for them." She added, "This album is diverse but people buying my music can expect diverse music; it's about love, life and optimism."

Gabrielle has said that her high school teacher inspired her to write her first poem. Her poems then turned into songs, and she started singing. She also found inspiration in 1980s pop music from artists like Madonna, Culture Club, and Wham!.

Personal Life

Gabrielle has a son, born in 1995, and a daughter, born in 2003.

Discography

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

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