Goapele

Goapele Mohlabane is a soul and R&B singer-songwriter whose name, pronounced "gwah-puh-LAY," means "to move forward" in Setswana, a Southern African language. An Oakland native, Mohlabane was born to a South African father who escaped apartheid and a German-Jewish mother from New York, a multicultural heritage that has influenced her music and perspective. After graduating from high school, Mohlabane attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she studied music theory. She returned to Oakland and self-released her debut album, "Closer," building an audience through live performances in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Mohlabane established her independent music label, Skyblaze Recordings, to maintain creative control over her career. She partnered with Hieroglyphics Imperium to release a deluxe edition of "Closer" titled "Even Closer," which attracted the attention of Columbia Records for worldwide distribution. Mohlabane co-wrote and co-produced the album, blending neo-soul and jazz influences. Her second album, "Change It All," featured the single "First Love" and the song "Love Me Right," with production from Jeff Bhasker, Linda Perry, and Sa-Ra Creative Partners. The album reached No. 32 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 2 on the Top Heatseekers chart. Her third studio album, "Break of Dawn," achieved further success, reaching No. 11 on the R&B chart and entering the upper half of the Billboard 200. Mohlabane has continued to release work including "Strong as Glass" and "COLOURS," which explores themes of healing, self-worth, and transformation, and features collaborations with musicians such as Errol Cooney, Bedrock, and Chris Dave.

Mohlabane has appeared on television programs including "The Orlando Jones Show," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." Her releases have been covered by Rolling Stone, Nylon, Billboard, Essence, and Vibe. Mohlabane's music has been featured in films, television series, and documentaries, including So You Think You Can Dance (Fox), "Hitch" (Sony Pictures), and Power (Starz).

In addition to her music career, Mohlabane is a humanitarian and advocate for social change, supporting causes such as racial justice and women's rights. She has performed at rallies, demonstrations, and political events, and was honored by the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights with its first Human Rights Cultural Hero Award. Her lifestyle brand, Dreamseeker, offers scented candles and apparel inspired by her synesthesia, a condition that allows her to experience color through sound. This unique perspective shapes her creative output and approach to contemporary R&B, entrepreneurship, and social advocacy.