MUSIC: Gabrielle returns to Ireland with show in Olympia Theatre

GABRIELLE has announced a UK and Ireland tour next year that will include a date at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre on Friday, March 22.

This will be the first time that Gabrielle has performed in Ireland for over 10 years and the announcement coincided with Gabrielle’s debut appearance as main support on Rick Astley’s UK tour.

Gabrielle will be performing both songs from her new album and showcasing her signature hits.

‘Under My Skin’ was released this July and charted in the UK charts at No 7, her highest charting release since ‘Rise’ topped the charts in 2000. ‘Under My Skin’ is Gabrielle’s first studio album in 11 years and marks 25 years since the release of her debut single, ‘Dreams’.

The No 1 single stormed the charts all over Europe and Australia, going Gold in the UK and cementing Gabrielle as one of the most exciting names in pop music. Two and a half decades later ‘Under My Skin’ is reminding the world of Gabrielle’s signature, heart-warming, soul-stirring voice. ‘Under My Skin’ is released through BMG.

Gabrielle is one of the UK’s most successful British singer-songwriters. She has sold over five million records in the UK alone and scored two No 1 singles, 10 Top 10 singles, a No 1 album and five Top 10 albums. She is also a two-time BRIT Award winner, receiving the Best British Break-through Act in 1994 and the Best British Female Solo Artist in 1997. Gabrielle has also won various MOBO Awards and an Ivor Novello for Outstanding Song Collection.

Born in July 1969 in Hackney, London, Louisa Gabrielle Bobb was known for her ptosis, the drooping of one eyelid. She released her debut single ‘Dreams’ in 1993 which topped the UK Singles Chart the same year. Other singles include ‘Going Nowhere’, ‘Give Me a Little More Time’, ‘Walk On By’ and ‘If You Ever’ – a duet with East 17.

After a few quiescent years Gabrielle made a comeback with ‘Rise’, which became Gabrielle's second UK No 1 in 2000. The album of the same name also reached the top spot in the UK Albums Chart, where it stayed for three weeks. ‘Out of Reach’ from the soundtrack to the film Bridget Jones's Diary reached number four in the UK Singles Chart.

Gabrielle's greatest hits collection, ‘Dreams Can Come True, Greatest Hits Vol 1’ was released in 2001.

Gabrielle's first two studio albums were inspired by "classic soul connotations" such as Marvin Gaye, Barry White and Bobby Womack. However, the albums also contained influence by early-'80s British pop Soul II Soul, Lisa Stansfield and Mantronix. Gabrielle's third album Rise spoke of "optimism, romanticism, devotion, and a keen survival instinct"

Gabrielle spoke on the album's influences saying: "There's also a couple of songs which lean more to Country, so there will be a couple of surprises for them. This album is diverse but people buying my music can expect diverse music; it's about love, life and optimism."

Gabrielle cited her high school teacher as one influence, saying that she was "inspired the mo-ment her teacher asked her to construct her first poem. Other inspirations came through in an eclectic collection of 1980s pop including Madonna, Culture Club, Haircut One Hundred, and Duran Duran.