Gabe Roland Is On A Mission To Bring LOVE Music Back With “Glow”
And To Empower Disadvantaged Communities Who Need Love & Support
Writer, producer and musical genius Gabe Roland is ready to take the industry by storm with his new album “Glow!” Born and raised in Kansas City, Gabe began his career singing in church and at the age of 5 he learned to play the piano, guitar and the drums! Since then he’s moved to Los Angeles to take his career to the next level and he’s had great success! You can hear his music on various TV shows, Films and he’s worked with amazing artists like Anthony Hamilton, Marsha Ambrosius and Estelle to name a few. We caught up with Gabe for all of our readers looking for love and this is what he had to say:
Q—When did you know you wanted to become an artist?
A—I’ve wanted to be an artist since I was kid. I was always singing and writing songs (laughs), I was the kid that always got in trouble for making beats on the desk in class. I remember when I was a child and I saw an old video of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” I fell in love instantly with everything about it. The dancing and singing was crazy. The overall energy was something I knew I definitely wanted to be a part of.
Q—Tell us about your upcoming album and current single?
A—The name of the upcoming album is called “Glow,” the name of the project has undergone several changes because the sound of the project keeps expanding. ”Lover’s Song” was the first single on the project. It’s a song for anyone that’s been in the friend zone but didn’t necessarily know how to get out. ”Lover’s Song” is the song that says today is the day I’m gonna let that person know how I feel and whatever happens next is whatever happens next.
Q—One of my favorite songs right now is “Lover’s Song,” where did you get the inspiration for that song?
A—Thank you. That means a lot. ”Lover’s Song” is based on a true story. The inspiration for the song came from a moment in my life where I had a friend and for the longest we were just cool with no benefits. One day I saw her and it was different. It was like I didn’t see her as the homie anymore. I saw her as someone I wanted to be with. The friend zone is a very real place but if I never said anything, I would never know how they truly felt. So I wrote “Lover’s Song” and played it for her. She kissed me…I’m glad I wrote it.
Q—What do you hope your music does for others?
A—I hope my music inspires. I hope my music connects. I hope that it becomes the soundtrack to a special moment that happens in a person’s life whether if it’s a major event or just a cool ass day where hanging out with your friends is the best thing on earth. I want my music to give you butterflies when you hear it because it’s your favorite song. I want it to make life better for the moment that a person is listening to it.
Q—Tell us a few people in the industry you’ve worked with and tell us who you still want to work with?
A—Off the top of my head, I’ve worked with Anthony Hamilton, Marsha Ambrosius and Estelle. This past October I performed with a band and we opened for Justin Timberlake’s Australia/New Zealand leg of his “20/20 Tour.” After talking with Justin Timberlake at length about music, I would love the opportunity to collaborate with him. Dude gets it and the dedication he applies to his craft is evident in the music he makes and the performances he gives. I want to work with Kendrick Lamar. He’s my favorite rapper and one of the few hip-hop artists that explodes every time he hits the stage. Janelle Monae. She’s incredible. She’s in her own lane and she delivers every time she performs. There’s so many, Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Calvin Harris…the list could go on forever.
Q—How do you currently give back? How do you plan to give back once you’ve reached the top?
A—I currently give back through charity organizations. I spend time on Skid Row in downtown LA feeding and giving clothes to the less fortunate. This is something that I will always give effort to because life is real and things like what I’ve seen in LA could happen any of us. Being from Kansas City, there wasn’t a lot of opportunity for music artistry. I want to start a music/fine arts camp where we teach local kids singing, songwriting, producing and performing. Hopefully through exposure to something that appears so far away from them, the camp can encourage a new way of thinking and inspire more people to follow their dreams.
Q—Would you be willing to support the Hip-Hop Summit Youth Council’s Hip-Hop Against Gun & Gang Violence Project to help improve public safety in our communities?
Hip-Hop Against Gun & Gang Violence project logo
A—Yes I would be honored to!
Q—What’s one piece of advice you can give to the readers about following their dreams or making it in the industry?
A—My advice would be to not to give up. There’s so many ways to get your music to the masses. Find your niche and grow from there. Don’t share your dreams with everyone because not everyone will see what you see for yourself. It doesn’t have to make sense to them as long as it makes sense to you. Study people that are successful in the ways you want to be successful. Learn what they did and apply the same habits. Finally have patience with the process. There’s no such thing as an overnight celebrity. It takes work and patience but if this is something you want, you have to have patience.
