Goapele facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Goapele
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Goapele in 2015
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Goapele Mohlabane |
| Born | July 11, 1977 |
| Origin | Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Labels |
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Goapele Mohlabane (born July 11, 1977) is an American soul and R&B singer. She also writes her own songs. Her name means to move forward in Setswana, a language from Southern Africa.
Early Life and Family
Goapele's father, Douglas Mohlabane, was from South Africa. He was a political activist who worked against the Apartheid System. This was a system of unfair rules that separated people based on their race. Goapele's mother, Noa, was from New York and was Jewish. She had been involved in protests since she was young.
Noa met Douglas in Nairobi, Kenya, where she was studying. Goapele and her older brother, DJ Namane Mohlabane, grew up in California. They were part of a community of South Africans who had left their home country.
Both of Goapele's parents encouraged her to get involved in community issues from a young age. She went to the Berkeley Arts Magnet School. There, she helped lead a group for younger students. She also joined groups that worked against racism and sexism.
Goapele has a daughter named Bahia Osun, who was born in May 2007.
Music Career Highlights
Goapele returned to Oakland after studying at Berklee College of Music. She focused on writing and recording her own songs.
First Albums: Closer and Even Closer
In 2001, Goapele released her first album, Closer. She released it herself and sold 5,000 copies. At the same time, she became very popular for her live shows in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In 2002, she updated Closer by adding five new songs. With help from her family, she started her own music label called Skyblaze Recordings. This label helped manage her music career. She then released her first album that was sold across the country, Even Closer. It included the popular song "Closer." This song was also featured in the 2003 movie Honey.
In 2004, Columbia/Sony Music partnered with Skyblaze Recordings. They helped distribute her album worldwide and re-released it with more songs. Goapele helped write and produce the whole album. It mixed different music styles like neo-soul, trip hop, and jazz. She also toured North America with the band Spearhead.
Change It All and More Recognition
Her second album, Change It All, came out in December 2005. It featured the songs "First Love" and "Love Me Right." This album included work from talented producers like Jeff Bhasker and Linda Perry.
Goapele appeared on TV shows like Soul Train and Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote her album. Magazines like Rolling Stone and Essence praised her music. In July 2003, Rolling Stone magazine named her one of the top artists to watch. She also worked with ALDO Shoes on an advertisement campaign to help fight HIV/AIDS.
Later Albums: Break of Dawn and Strong as Glass
In 2011, Goapele released her third studio album, Break of Dawn. This album featured production from well-known artists like Kanye West.
In 2014, Goapele signed with singer Eric Benét's record label, Jordan House. She then released her fifth studio album, Strong as Glass. The main song from this album was "Hey, Boy," which featured Snoop Dogg. The music video for this song was released in September 2014.
Recent Music
Goapele continued to release new music. Her album DreamSeeker came out in 2017. Her most recent album, Colours, was released in 2023.
Music Collaborations
Besides her own music, Goapele has worked with many other artists. She has collaborated with West Coast MCs like E-40 and Zion-I. She also worked with Detroit singer Dwele and with Mos Def on the song "Different."
Human Rights Work
Goapele has performed at many rallies and political events around the world. These events supported human rights.
In September 2006, the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights honored her. They gave her their first Human Rights Cultural Hero Award. The Center said that Goapele stays connected to her community. She continues to work for human rights. The Ella Baker Center is a group that works for justice, opportunity, and peace in cities.
Goapele's Music Albums
Studio Albums
- Closer (2001)
- Even Closer (2002)
- Change It All (2005)
- Break of Dawn (2011)
- Strong as Glass (2014)
- DreamSeeker (2017)
- Colours (2023)
Singles (Popular Songs)
- "Closer" (2002)
- "First Love" (2005)
- "Love Me Right" (2006)
- "Milk & Honey" (2009)
- "Victory" (featuring Hip Hop Pantsula) (2010)
- "Hey, Boy" (2014)
Guest Appearances (Songs with Other Artists)
- Hieroglyphics – "Make Your Move" from Full Circle (2003)
- E-40 – "Show & Prove" from Breakin' News (2003)
- Aceyalone – "Moonlit Skies" from Love & Hate (2003)
- Zion I – "Life's Work" from Shadowboxing (2012)
- Ben Williams – "Voice of Freedom" from Coming of Age (2015)
- Cassper Nyovest – "Destiny" from "Thuto" (2017)
