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Skyblaze/Columbia Records Set to Release New Edition of Even Closer, Critically-Acclaimed Debut Album From Oakland-Based Soul Singer Goapele. In Stores Nationwide On Tuesday, February 3, 2004

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2004 (PRNewswire) - Skyblaze/Columbia Records is set to release a special new edition of Even Closer, the critically-acclaimed debut album from Goapele (pronounced "gwa-pa-lay"), the sensational Oakland-based singer/songwriter, on Tuesday, February 3, 2004.

An exceptional multi-faceted artist whose lyrical themes range from political activism to romantic sensuality to deep spiritual truths, Goapele combines elements of soul, hip-hop, jazz and funk into a smooth and seductive musical blend uniquely her own.

Even Closer began as a nine-song EP (entitled "Closer") that Goapele and her family distributed as an independent release in 2001, eventually selling 5,000 copies based on ecstatic word-of-mouth endorsements and her growing reputation as an incandescent live performer. In 2002, Goapele reworked her now highly-collectible debut EP, adding five new songs, and, along with her brother, Namane, and Theo Rodrigues, formed the indie label Skyblaze for the purpose of distributing the album now called Even Closer.

The indie version of Even Closer was an immediate regional hit, at one point outselling 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' in the Bay Area. The album's indie incarnation has, to date, SoundScanned more than 60,000 units and climbed into the Top 100 (#63) on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. A three-star review of Even Closer in Rolling Stone, who singled out Goapele as one of its "Ten Artists To Watch," praised her " ... distinct vocal sensibility ... " calling Goapele " ... a balance of steamrolling Chaka Khan power and yoga-girl suppleness that's full of promise." Billboard invoked Nina Simone and Sade as influences while stressing that " ... this classic chanteuse-in-the making is definitely her own woman of substance."

While Even Closer brought Goapele to her initial nationwide attention, audiences continued to pack into clubs ranging from New York's famed S.O.B's to the Bay Area's fabled Fillmore Auditorium and Yoshi's, where her debut run sold-out four shows in two nights.

In its review of her live performances, the San Francisco Chronicle noted that Goapele is a " ... petite songstress with a voice that can fill a stadium ... .She has been gaining popularity here as an elegant romantic who weaves poetic narratives ... .The introspective and airy vocals combined with sassy grooves make Goapele a bit of an urban music anomaly ... .The rising star ran through a repertoire that borrowed as much from African stars such as Miriam Makeba as it did Stevie Wonder, Sade and Nina Simone. The evening's highlight came with a bilingual rendition of 'Soweto Blues,' a hybrid of jazz and African styles that featured three South African vocalists and a conga player tearing up the stage while Goapele urged the audience to sing along in a celebration of self-determination."

Perhaps it is the local Bay Area publication, Urban View, that best summed up Goapele's artistry, "Her vocals shatter souls, leaving audiences begging for more ... .She can vocally capture the heart of anyone."

The Skyblaze/Columbia edition of Even Closer features the 14 tracks that comprised the indie release as well as an exclusive bonus remix of "Childhood Drama."

For more information visit the official Goapele website

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