Louise Golbey – Exclusive Interview For Debut Album ‘Novel’

Louise Golbey, that one with a great ‘Potential’ that ‘Weighs A Ton’,

That one that actually had ‘Lots To Give’ to the London music scene

That one who amazed the places of Glastonbury, The Isle Of Wight Festival, and even Ronnie Scott’

Is coming back with her Debut Album, titled ‘Novel’, and this must be the most achieved work she’s ever delivered!

Louise has been one of the very first artist discoveries for ‘Sounds So Beautiful’ in London.

By the time, we only knew her EP titled Lots To Give. By now, we’re introduced a whole other level of her music universe: Novel (out now).

In this independent album, you’ll find some old songs already released by the artist in the past, yet completely remastered, almost recomposed.

This album journey has been the opportunity to put some of her best songs on an better pedestal, such as ‘How It Is’.

Actually, Louise confirms the album was the opportunity to highlight her best tracks:

“When I decided to do it I wanted the album to be a chance to reach a new audience.

Therefore – I wanted it to be my best material. The album is called ‘Novel’ because essentially it is my complete works – my story through music. New and old.”

Besides “How It Is” you’ll have the great pleasure to enjoy again ‘A Little While Longer’:

She decided to illuminate her new audience with the shines of brand new version of Sparkles (released in 2009, a song she sung at every single show.

Indeed, Louise reveals the following:

“Sparkle is one of the first songs I ever wrote and I don’t think I have ever done a gig where I haven’t sung this song! It always goes down well with a crowd – and people often come up to me and say it is a very romantic and positive song

I have even sung it at people’s weddings as their first dance a few times! This new version – is a complete revamp.
The old recorded version and the way I always sung it live was more like a slow-jam.

This 2015 version is faster and has a latin / funk vibe. It is also special to me because I had the honour of getting Mo Pleasure on keyboards and bass guitar to play on the track which we recorded at the legendary Metropolis studios. – Mo Pleasure used to play with Earth Wind and Fire, Roberta Flack and Michael Jackson! “

You’ll notice, Novel has several meanings: New (start), and Story inspired by her life experiences and the story of her career: “I have included songs about love, music, family, relationship”

And some of the best tracks of her discography do have a really particular meaning.

For instance, “How It is” has been rewritten in French one time:, “C’est Juste Comme Ca”

And this same track written twice appears as the very first tune of the album. Louise explains why:

“I have a great fondness for the song and when I got feedback from existing fans and close friends about my material – everyone I asked said that they felt this song should be on the album.

And the new version is the way I play it live with my band so knew that the more Hip Hop style would work well recorded too.

We re-mixed the song for the album – made it more up-tempo and Neo-soul feel.

We also re-recorded the French version as well ‘C’est Juste Comme Ca’.

I love the music video we did for this song – so by doing a new version of the track I thought it gave both the song and video a fresh new appeal.”

Talking about personal songs, ‘Family Tree‘ is “a really personal song to me.

It is about my Grandma. She is 96 years old and such an incredible woman and I wanted to write a song dedicated to her and how amazing she is!”

With that being said, there’s also brand new songs to discover, brand new pages to read in this ‘Novel‘, brand new vibes to resonate with, so that

Like a bird, you come to catch a second wind out of its cage:

Well-known to the Soul & Jazz scene along with a hint of Pop in her style, when asking her about Pop, Soul, Jazz, Lounge, Gospel for her album

She replies:

“It is mainly a mixture of Soul with Hip Hop grooves with a touch of jazz.

Drew Horley who produced the majority of the tracks and mixed and mastered the whole project comes from a Hip Hop background so for me I love fusing the two genres together with him. Harmonic soulful vocals over phat grooves and beats.”

Her vibes did appeal the voice of the UK Soul living-legend Omar for the track The Outsider, a song “about feeling like you’re not living life and following the same path and patterns as everyone else and Purple Soul is a reflection on how I feel about music.. the ups and downs”.

An originality to notice and appreciate in Louise’s universe is her wide variety of videos. Plus, her love for dancing we can obviously testify:

“I love dancing so I use my videos as an excuse to get my dancing shoes back on whenever I can!
[…]
Videos are a great way of show casing a song and also show –casing myself as a performer, I am very much involved in the whole process with each video.

Pretty much ‘producing’ each one. Storyboarding ideas with the director, styling, choreographing, making props etc! I am very hands on.”

An exclusive revelation about her next videos:

“I am in the process of editing The Outsider – which we filmed a month ago.. I dance in that one too! and Omar is also in the video.

And Family Tree – I am actually going to start the video soon with Milo Robinson (who directed Little Bird with me) and it will be a simplistic concept with a montage of photos”

We’re happy for Louise’s achievements and just wish her the best and I’m sure you’re already enjoying her tunes.

If so, go check see her perform with her full band “headlining at Boisdale in Canary Wharf, London on Friday 12^th June!”