Goapele

Hailed as a “driving motivational force” (Huffington Post) with a voice that’s “the stuff of dreams” (Essence), Oakland-born singer-songwriter Goapele—whose name means “to move forward” in the African language Setswana—kicks off this season of Sunset Concerts with her deeply personal take on R&B, soul, funk, and hip-hop.

Goapele debuted her first single, “Closer,” in 2001, which has racked up over nine million Spotify streams and has been sampled by accomplished rappers Drake and YG. Since her explosive start, she has released four full-length albums, landed high-profile syncs in Sparkle, Honey, and 90210, and collaborated with famed artists Snoop Dogg, E-40, Eric Ben é t, and Soulive. Goapele released her most recent EP, Dreamseeker, in 2017, which “features seven songs and three interludes that soulfully and thoughtfully relay the singer/songwriter’s perspectives on motherhood, sensuality, social consciousness and self-love” (Billboard).

As she evolves as an artist, Goapele also devotes herself to activism, acting, and fashion. In 2006, she received the first-ever Human Rights Cultural Hero Award, from the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, for her inspiring performances at political rallies and events in the US and abroad. She recently partnered with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation as an official ambassador.

Goapele is the daughter of a South African activist father and a New York–born Israeli Jewish mother. In the midst of all her projects, Goapele is currently recording a new album, expected for release later this year.