After Dinner Speakers: Gabrielle, The Beastie Boys, Mike Lynch

Few, if any, British female artists stand for as much as Gabrielle. In musical terms, she's an award winning female singer-songwriter whose maiden single debuted at number one: a talent who finds it easy to marry the musical styles that have influenced her into a separate, distinctly accessible hybrid. And she's a Black British artist who has been accepted by the mainstream without losing the fans who made her first release an underground anthem. Hackney-born Gabrielle, 30, began her career singing for free in West End clubs whilst temping in offices during the day. The big break came when she recorded a demo called 'Dreams' based around Tracy Chapman's Fast Car which subsequently fell into the hands of an A&R man at Go! Beat. The track was re-recorded without the sample and ended up in the Guinness Book Of Hit Singles as the highest chart entry for a debut female act, topping the charts for three weeks. As well as having a number one record, Gabrielle's head-turning style complete with sequined eye patch and Josephine Baker kiss curls was the talk of the nation. In three short years, nine singles [five of which were top ten] and two albums were released establishing Gabrielle as the UK's premiere soul vocalist. Her debut CD 'Find Your Way' contained the brawny 'Going Nowhere' and Top 20 hits 'I Wish' and 'Because Of You'. But it was the release of the Bacarach & David sounding 'Give Me A Little More Time' from 1997's self titled sophomore album, that confirmed what 'Dreams' hinted at. A sound which was to become Gabrielle. One which showed her off as a timeless artist full of classic soul connotations but also influenced by early 80s British pop. Whose distinct, evocative, vocals married the two and took us down the aisle with her. Even the Top Three collaboration with boy band East 17 ('If You Ever') had a mature feel to it. It was little wonder that Gabrielle would go on to cover Dionne Warwick's 'Walk On By'. In retrospect the song was perfect for her. By and large optimism is the watchword of 'Rise'. Although Gabrielle confronts self-doubt, self-pity and feelings of emotional redundancy, she keeps the balance right - melodrama has no place here. 'Rise' is confessional without being voyeuristic; self-explanatory without being self-absorbed. It's full of soul because Gabrielle's aware that music is the form of escapism we all need - whether we make it, listen to it or both. As a result 'Rise' is, quite simply, Gabrielle's strongest and most complete work to date.