“One of the reasons I wanted to be a songwriter in the first place was so I could sing lyrics that I believed in and that come from my heart. I draw from my own experience and the experiences I’ve watched others go through. I want my music to truly represent me, instead of trying to fit stereotypes that women in this industry are encouraged to fit into.” - Goapele: goapele.com

With a name that means to move forward in the Sitswana language of South Africa, songstress Goapele (pronounced: Gwa-Pa-Lay) was destined to move waves of conscious, natural, political, organic, and fresh sounds into the music industry. Many of us fell in love with Goapele's clairvoyant words of beauty and dreams from her song “Closer”, off of her first full length album entitled “Even Closer”, and now Goapele has her fans falling into a love of change, political awareness, and funky electro-pop love through her latest album release that's respectively entitled “Change It All”, which is also the name of her online community based organization that further supports the message of her positive music, community support, and her positive acts of creativity, visualization, dreaming, and awareness. With so many un-natural women grazing the media and it's perceptions, Goapele has managed to keep her natural inner and outer beauty in tact and speak upon issues that we are effected by on a day to day basis. She is an artist that relates to her fans close-heartedly through her music, her activism, and her words. Having grandparents who survived the German Holocaust and the apartheids in South Africa, and having been apart of community organizations since the age of 10, there is no wonder why she understands the need for community and political activism with a conscious center. “Change It All” started with a song idea," says Goapele. "I was feeling disempowered and frustrated with the people who were elected in 2000, and then re-elected, and frustrated about the disappearing support for music and art and resources that are being taken away from our local communities in order to fund a war that many of us don’t believe in.”

While Goapele may not be streamed in on our radios like that of Beyonce Knowles or Mariah Carey, the power of her voice, the magnitude of her spirit, and the mission of her name far exceeds the the mainstream voices we do hear on the mainstream radio, in fact, many of our so- called female artists may need to stop and think about what they need to change and take a few tips from Goapele, because in the end what our young girls see is what our future will get, and Gaopele is putting out an image that I would'nt mind seeing more of.

Here Goapele takes a moment to talk with us about her take on life, her career, and she talks about what it means to be a role model to our young girls

Goapele: Before I realized it. I do remember in second grade watching family and friends get up on stage and perform. It was so exciting to watch. Then in junior high is when I started to write. That is when I really listened to the lyrics of songs from the radio and I didn’t find that I could relate to them. That’s when I wanted to create songs that I felt really represented me.

Goapele: Love, the world, the government, and my friends struggling with life. I try to take the frustrating parts that I feel and turn it into something, that doesn’t necessarily change it, but I hope that my songs can offer a different perspective.

Goapele: I try to write a little bit everyday. Especially with this last album, "Change It All". Different thoughts come to me throughout the day. I try to have something to write with and on with me all the time. Then I take all the fragments and ideas of melodies into the studio. I often sit down with Jeff Bhasker or Mike Aaberg and arrange them into a song. Other times I listen to beats, like the one I got from Bedrock, that became, “If We Knew”. It sounded nostalgic when I first heard it, and it reminded me about life’s experiences my friends were going through and the stories of our lives. When I heard the track from Sa Ra it inspired me to put together “Find Away”, with the words that I wrote right after the 2004 presidential election.

Goapele: My way of understanding people, my honesty and the way my music can connect to people’s hearts and spirit

Goapele: Family, whether it is blood or the people who are truly there for you.Choices and options, and when you have them in front of you, and Love.

Goapele: Nelson Mandela’s presidential inaugural speech.

Goapele: The Fillmore show, in San Francisco, a couple of years ago, where I headlined. I had my band, a horn section, and my extended family from Zulu Spear perform Soweto Blues with me. I also had a local artist, Keba Konte show some of his work. There were huge images of South African faces projected and large art pieces on the stage, and around the venue. It really felt like a whole show, which I haven’t had the opportunity to do since.

Goapele: I want women and girls to know, that we can create our own destiny. Just because other women haven’t been able to do some of the things we wish they had been able to in the past, doesn’t mean that it is impossible. And to hold onto what you believe in and don’t be afraid to let your guard down sometimes.

Miriam Makeba is a woman that has inspired me because she was one of the first South African women that I remember stepping out with her beautiful voice, and talking about the apartheid system and how it needed to end. I always loved her voice, and she was a natural beauty I also appreciated that her music was aiming to change the world.

Goapele: Inspiration. I want them to feel inspired to tackle what ever it is in their life.

Goapele: This is always a hard question for me. I feel like I really put myself out there in my music. And I’m still growing.

Goapele: Getting outdoors, taking walks, spending quality time with my friends that I don’t usually get to do while I’m traveling. I like going to the movies, eating good foods and shopping.

Goapele: Right now, “Love me right” because it really is me, letting go, and having fun. “Different” because I like the vibe of the song and it’s fun getting to do duets.

On September 14th, Goapele will be presented with the first ever “Human Rights Cultural Hero Award” by the Ella Baker Center during their 10th Anniversary Celebration and ‘Tribute to a Dream” ceremony. The event will take place at The Rotunda in Downtown Oakland and will include a video tribute to Ella Baker, The Glide Teen Choir and The Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company. About receiving the upcoming award Goapele says, “It is truly an honor to be honored by members of the community that have worked tirelessly for over a decade to build a future that we can actually look forward to.” Visit Goapele online at: www.goapele.com or www.changeitall.org