SoulBounce: What's the meaning behind your album's title, Strong as Glass?
Goapele: It speaks to being a woman, independent and empowered, feeling strong and knowing that you’re breakable in ways and not wanting to be taken advantage of; I’m strong but not unbreakable.
SB: Strong as Glass has been touted as a departure for you sound-wise. Can you tell us what to expect from the record?
G: Through the record you can expect it to be taken through different emotion and there’s songs you can also dance to, too, which is a little different than my usual songs. There’s also songs that you can blast and sing along to while cleaning your house, and there are songs that will take you to an emotional journey. Vocally, I got to expand on this album and express different phases of love.
SB: Which of your new songs is your favorite and why?
G: “Strong as Glass” just because it’s so dynamic. Also “Perfect” because it has a great drum line and it has a larger message, but it still feels like a love song. The larger message is speaking to all the violence that has been going on in the past few months around the world.
- Advertisement -SB: Your lead single "Hey Boy" was such a summertime jam. How did it come about?
G: It was a collaborative process in the studio, and I just wanted to have a fun song that I would want to dance to if I heard it in the club. I feel blessed and inspired to be in the studio with Snoop Dogg. For me its easier to go into a contemplative space and write a track. I wanted to let go and have fun, which I did, but it actually took a bit more effort for me to do so.
- Advertisement -SB: You tapped Snoop Dogg, which some might feel is an unexpected choice, for the song's remix, which is set to appear on Strong as Glass. How'd you two link up and what was it like to work with him?
G: It was great working with him. I was a fan of his music before I met him and meeting him was amazing. He is such a down to earth person. I was just waiting for our worlds to collide. We had some mutual friends, and that’s how I met up with him and decided to collaborate.
- Advertisement -SB: Speaking of collaborations, your album only features two guests, Snoop and Eric Benet. Was this a conscious choice? And what is it like working with someone like Eric?
G: It was a conscious choice. There is a list of people I would love to collaborate with, but I just decided to focus on the album. Working with Eric was great, he helped push me in the studio.
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