That Gaby Roslin Podcast: Reasons To Be Joyful - Gabrielle

Episode Date: May 20, 2024

Gabrielle joins Gaby to chat all things joy, her love of music and making music - and her brand new album. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm a grandma to one. Goodness. How can that be possible? Because you're 21. In my dreams. How can you be a grandma? You must be the coolest grandma on the planet. You know what?

I love it. I mean, my daughter-in-law, she buys these little outfits for my little grandson Cruz. And they're like, I love bucket hats. And so she bought him, like, matching bucket hats for it. I love it. I'm like, yep. What's the name for you? I'm going to be Nanny Lulu.

Because obviously he can't quite say Nanny yet, but I'm Nanny, Nanny Loo. Nanny Loo. Yeah, because that's my first name. Louisa. I love you're a gab. Yeah, you know what, but no, I don't want to call Nana Gabby. You know what, but he might do

Nanny Gabby, but I want to be Nanny Lulu. Okay. I'm so like, everyone's like, where's the name come from? And my kids sometimes come by the first name. Not too often because I am mum. I am mother. I love that.

I don't want to be called anything else. But Nanny, I'm a nanny. So you probably call me Nanny Gabby. I don't care as long as you calls me Nanny. I want to be a nanny. Does anyone call you Gabby? Yeah, all the time. I am Gabby.

I'm Gabby. The thing is I am Gabby. I am, gab by name and nature. Yeah, that's what. What did your school report say? Did it say, all she does is talk. Yeah, but you know what? I was always gabbing, but remember, at school, I was Louise.

Of course. You know what I mean? So it's funny that I remember before using my middle name, I'd be like, Mom, why do I have a middle name? I couldn't use it. And the fact that now I'm no tourist, been known for, you know, I love that. So why did you make that decision? It actually wasn't me.

I loved the name. But I used to think I was going to call myself. Because I'm Louisa Gabriela. And what happened is that it wasn't until I went to a nightclub. And the woman was like, what's your name? I was like, Louise. What's my name? Where's Gabrielle?

You know, because I was actually sort of as Louise Gabrielle, but I'm Louisa Gabrielle. But I didn't know this. My mom, when my mum was annoyed with me, it was no longer as Louise. Like, Louise, get downstairs. Yeah. Until I saw the birth certificate in my years later. I was like, oh, I am Louisa. But I'm Louise, forever Louise and Louise Gabrile.

But yeah, so middle name, I went to this nightclub and I was meant to be singing. And I was like, what's your mid name then? I was like, Gabrielle, shut up, go buy that. So that's how Gabrielle, that's basically... That is as simple as that. As simple as that. And I got to use my modern name, yeah. Now you could use a nanny.

Nanny, nanny, exactly. And I love that. Nanny's on the stage. I love it. I love it. How would that? That's going to be quite something. He's already come.

He's come with air defenders. He's come to a couple shows already. Cruise has seen you already? Yeah, outside festival. Yes, he's seen him already, but he's been tucked on his mum's little chest and he's had his air defenders. But now he's running the right. He's one years of age now and he's running around. He's like, lovely little munchkin.

How old's your baby then? I've got a 21-year-old, my daughter, and it was my son who just turned 29. It was him who gave me a child, him and his girlfriend. I was like, oh, my God. How does that happen? Because in my head, you've still got babies. Like, my babies are my babies. Yeah, my babies will forever be my babies.

And my son actually said to me, Mom, you don't want us to grow up. No, but, you know, they obviously grow up, but forever are babies. Have you got kids? Yes, two girls. Two girls. What are the ages? 22 and 17. That's the thing.

They'll always be free. Even when they get to 50, 100%. That's, it'll always be that way. Yeah, but the thing is, I'm 33 every birthday. So my older daughter, she keeps saying, so when I'm 33, I said, we'll be twins. What do you think? I love it. I love it.

I love it. I love it. Not having any of that. So you're only a few days ago, your new album out. Yeah. I know everybody says, how does it feel? But you're a few days out of it and it's releasing your baby to the wild.

There we are talking about babies. Also hearing it on the radio and all of that. Does it ever get... Do you ever get blah? You don't get blasé, do you? No, I love it. I love the fact that three decades in, I'm still releasing new music.

So do I. You know, I love that. I still have the energy and the vibe to write new music. I love that I get to tour it. I mean, we've released this new album now. place in your heart, but I'm doing my first ever headline arena tour next year. Yes. And I'm like, wow.

That's your first? I've done a couple of arenas. I did Wembley Arena, I think, on the Rice Tour, the first original Rice Tour. So that was when? One, I couldn't even tell. Is that like 20 or years ago? So that's when I saw you at Wembley? Probably.

But I've never done anything like that again. And to be like three decades in, now actually headlining my own arena tour. And I've got Tunday from the Lighthouse family. supporting me it's going to be incredible but so excited but I can't believe it but I find that so incredible that it's taken this long because to me you've always been top of your

game and you've quite thrown me because you've done so much and everybody and what's so lovely is so my 17 year old daughter last night I said you were coming on the podcast and around the kitchen table she's the one that started singing wonderful

they know every single word not just because of Bridget Jones I promise it's just because they love and know your songs. Wonderful. But I can't, I mean, you're... How come that's your... Sorry, are you sure? No, you know so.

It's really weird, but I don't think it's as weird as we think it is or it kind of is. It's because of the fact that I think that from the release of my career, from when I first started, every three years I started to bring out music and I did have an 11-year hiatus where I wasn't doing anything. Although you were having life? Yeah, I was living my life and doing things and taking time out for me. And recognizing that if I turned around and missed it, my kids would be grown up

and I wouldn't have been at the school plays or the sports days to my son's annoyance of embarrassment. That's what's supposed to. We're meant to embarrass our kids. And I think that the moment they were off hand, it's not been that long. Basically, it was so nice to actually come back writing music. I could go on the road for longer without worrying, are they okay? I mean, thankfully I had my mum who was looking after them.

Now she's like in the caravan, sullying herself. Is she? She's loving. life at the moment. But she's a young mum. She had me at 17 and so she's still young enough to do those things. And I can just go on the road. I can tour, leave the kids and know that, you know, the house is still standing, but I'm living my best life. And so for me, now was the right time for me to be headlining a tour. I did a 32 date tour last year. And I couldn't believe that there would be that many dates that people would want to come and see me. But we sold out. I had so much

fun. It's crazy. Do you really feel that? Do you really feel that? Do you really Phil, you can't believe that people want to come and see you. After all these years. Yes, after all these years, because I've been always insecure about why, you know, musically, vocally, but now not so much music because I always have great producers, give me great music. But because I write my songs and I've got my voice, it's not like Adele's got the most incredible vocals. So has Beyonce.

So does we have people in this country like, oh God, Rachel Tiena Rie. We've got Mahalia, who, you know, featured with me on my album. They're young and they're young. incredible and they've got the most incredible voices. And I never saw myself as having that. But my manager once said to me, and I was actually, I have yet to get the tattoo, but her thing was, don't ever wish away what you're not prepared to lose. And now, as I'm in my 50s, yeah, I'm embracing the fact that this is my voice.

This is who I am. This is who I've always been. Don't try to be like everyone else, enjoy everyone else, but appreciate who you are too. So now I'm happy that the fact that this is my voice, people know it's me sometimes when I see. No, they do. You know what I mean? It's so distinctive. So I won't wish it away.

So yes, I'm still surprised, but I love every minute, especially when people come along. They appreciate the new stuff, but I always give them the old stuff. So we can all shake our tissues. Shake our booties. Can you say that about saying that? Yeah, you can. It's a podcast.

Exactly. And just have a good time. And that's why it's surprising, but I'm loving it and appreciative of every moment. I've never thought of you as anything else but somebody who is joyful. That's why this podcast. I'm so thrilled you came on it. But joyful.

and spreading joy and even though you had your tough time and you've spoken about it when you were a kid and all of that stuff that you went through at school which is awful and every,

it's so interesting how many people who make it have gone through that. Yeah, no, that's the thing. We all have our highs and lows. Am I happy in joyous every day? No, I lost my baby brother in January

and that was a shock to the system because you don't expect you a baby brother who kind of went to the hospital with my mum for a check. She went to, had for a checkup. I had to go home and someone else because you gave her that day. And so you go through things, but you realize life is for living.

And we all, you know, we love, we lose people, but we carry on living because that's what life is for. And there are times when some of us, we don't know how we're going to get through the end of the day, let alone life. But there's got to be something that makes you hold on. And for those of us who are strong enough, because some of us didn't make it. I've got friends who, through illness or whatever, didn't make it. And it's almost like I feel I'm carrying the torch for those of us, you know, all the pain that we will go through. about letting it out and not letting it consume us and bury us and you move forward. And it's funny that when you move on and you look back, it's not always good to look back.

When you look back, I think, oh my God, I can't believe that's what I went through. I can't believe that I've got through this, you know what I mean? There's a lot of us out there have gone through so many things, but we made it. And I think it's about celebrating that we made it, you know what I mean? That's so interesting. I mean, I'm somebody who I'm very lucky I can live in the moment. And I think I don't look too much of. about the past. And I don't think, I don't worry about next week. I try and live in the day.

But when you went, the amount of people that I've interviewed who have, you know, been bullied like you were or have gone through, I mean, I was extremely shy, so I can speak shyness. So there are people who go through shyness or they go through being bullied or they go through losing a parent very young, whatever it is. And that thing about, and I'm here. Yeah, exactly. And appreciative. Sometimes song. Yeah, precisely. Exactly. And I love that.

And like you said, not always looking back. I mean, it's not good always to look back. But sometimes if you look it as a mark. As a reminder. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I've been through a lot or I've come a long way.

Do you think, do you look at yourself and think, sort of look in the mirror and go, oh my word, look. Look what I've done. I do. I think that's. Look what has happened. Yeah. So much. And there's things that happen or the kids might say something and it takes me back.

And I'm like, oh my God. But it's great, isn't it? It's to be in the moment, like you say, but to be living this life. And like I said, you know, when the grey hairs come and everything like that, I appreciate that. Then you can die the heck out of them if you want. Oh, you can showcase them. Or, you know, showcase them.

It's up to the individual. No, there's nothing wrong with that. But to me, that's like earning our stripes. You know, I've got friends who didn't get the grey hair. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? So it's all that kind of stuff. And so I'm just like, yeah, I'm here.

What next? It doesn't matter what you throw at me. I'm ready. That's very interesting. So I remember a friend of mine very sadly died about 10 years ago, very young, she was only 40. And we were shopping for weeks while she was having her chemo. And I will never forget it.

And she was looking at all these people. And she was going, oh my God. And there was a... And absolutely, down to the individual, she wasn't slagging them off. She went, oh my God, look at the amounts of lips she's put in. Look at that. Look at the facelift. She said, I wish I had time in my life to do that. And it's always just from my...

And she's not, I don't... I'm not saying that to don't feel sad. She was amazing, girl. She did what she needed to do at her time. But that was a reminder. You just go, God, yeah, you're all right. And it's up to the individual. 100%.

Just live your life the way that you want to live your life and what makes you the most joyous. Are you doing that? Right now, yes, I am. Yes. I am. Go, Gabrie. I'm going to be a summer full of festivals.

Like I said, a headline tour next year. Come on. I'm like, I didn't expect this. The new album. The new album. So let's talk about this. Come on. Let's talk about it.

So my album are placed in your heart. It's a collection of songs. My songs have always been about my life. And occasionally I have amused in the shape of one of my friends and might have told me something. It's notorious. If you've got something to say and you don't want it on record, do not tell you. Don't tell you.

Don't tell me. And that's all I know. It's about real life experiences, my life. And, you know, like, you know, the songs that have come out, there's my new song, sorry. It's about, you know, that's a beautiful song I love. It's a beautiful song. It's, how would I say, it's an apology that I never received.

And a lot of us probably still haven't received and so I had to write my own. So I like to think that that's for all of us who didn't get the apology that we deserve. It's not always about people cheating on you. There's so many things people can do wrong to you. And so that's one and then miss you. Another is kind of a love song where it's a breakup song,

but it's so beautiful. And I think we've all been there. Oh, God, notoriously, I've been there. I keep going there. I won't say too much. But the bottom line is it's about this whole album is songs, you know, a bit of pop, a bit of rock, a bit of soul. But it's all about self-discovery and just the ups and downs of life, my life.

It feels very personal to listen to. And all of your stuff does, but this sort of feels on a different level. It's like, oh, you're letting us in a bit more. I feel that I always let people in music, when I regard to my songs, you know, regarding my song writing. I'm not scared to kind of talk about things that happens and put into a song. It becomes like therapy. But at the same time, I'm at the age where I, this is happening.

Yeah. So what? I'm menopause. this or, you know, I've been a stroppy cow, I've done this, but I'm living my life. Have you been, stop it? I've been, I've been, listen, I'm of the female persuasion. We, hormonally, it's in us. So you just make way, allow us.

You know, you know, but we are entitled, you know, but we do so much, you know, we give birth, we do so many things, okay? So my thing is being woman, being a woman, being a mother, being, you know, but be just being a grandmother. Being a grandmother now, which is all beautiful things, I, you know, I'll showcase these things via my music. But, you know, I'm just a real person. And I just tell it how it is. Oh, yes, I've let you in.

And I've probably let you in even more on the next album. And it's just who I've always been. And I won't change. I won't change. So for, okay, what's so interesting is I said today at work this morning, I said I was coming to chat to you. And everybody does the same thing when you mention you. Everyone says, oh. And then they go, the best laugh.

I've got terrible laugh. I've got a dirty laugh. No, it's not terrible. It's great. But isn't that a lovely way to be known? Anybody. So people in the industry, people out of the industry, so they all go, oh, she's got a great laugh.

So it's real love for you. And you must, do you feel that on stage? I feel a lot of love for me. Do you? That's so lucky. Always. How big is that? You know what?

It's the most beautiful thing. There have been times when, you know, I've gone on tour. and I've woken up and I've not feel the best and some of those times because I'd forgotten to take my HRD practices but outside of being menopausal there are times when you do experience your lows and I've got to say that when I do the meet and greet my fans before I actually do the show in the evening, it's amazing the stories and then when I get on stage

and my audience can be a bit naughty which I love because, you know, you go to these places like theatres and they expect them to sit down. I'm like, I have to tell you, don't you be trying to stop my audience because people's waited and spent their money. God knows how long to come to the show. And they want to come up and they want to kind of dance and they want to kind of touch your hand. And I'm all for it.

And the love in that room. I see people coming on their own. I know a lot of my audience. I know them by name because they come on their own and then they make friends. I'm like, wow. And so I feel that love and I know that love is real. And while I can still do what I'm doing

and while I still love it, I want to be in it with them. Because without them, there is no me. because if people didn't feel the need to listen to my music anymore, I'd just be behind being Nanny Lulun. While I love being a grandma, I still love... And there's also you in there. You're not just... Exactly.

Before I became a mother or grandma, I was this young girl who dreamt of singing and loved singing and would have been happy to sing anywhere. And, you know, through the highs and loads, but I got here and I'm really happy to still be here. 31 years later this year, isn't it? Good for you. I celebrate every moment of that.

Precisely. But you... That is the other interesting. thing is that how much you love singing. I love it. And I think not a lot love it like you do. I mean, you really love singing. You know something?

I'm not that singer who will sing at the drop of the hat. And there are singers like that have got incredible voice. I'm like, no, but you get me on stage before you used to have to push me out. Did it really? So when was that? When was that? I'm talking in the last few years, maybe at the beginning and sometimes in the middle and sometimes when I've spent a long time away.

People had to push you. Yeah, my manager company's the time to go now. There's even a video now. The turnaround is, and I know my manager should have this on her phone. Now it's a case of my manager, literally having to pull me off. But it's funny,

because I'll be singing right until I'm out of sight, but it's my time to get off now. And it's so much fun. But, like, it was funny because she showed me one that a fan had kind of posted, and there I was. And it was funny because I will sing and be walking backwards, and there's the guitarist's his monitor there

and many times I've nearly tripped, nearly never done it but I don't care, I just have so much fun I want to sing right to the laugh minute and that's what I do So the times when they had to push you on Nerves. It was nerves. Nerves. Fear or just nerves? Nerves, fear, everything. You know, am I going to remember lyrics?

Am I going to, are they going to like me? That insecurity and I feel that although it's never 100% left me but every time I go on that stage I'm like, I go on, I'm like, yeah, I'll go on. And from the get-go, my audience have been incredible. And I think that's what keeps me going. And when my days are filled a bit dark, and I know that, you know, that thing of a natural high, if you could bottle every time you went on, say, for me personally, and just, you know, I wouldn't have to sell it.

And I could just live off that. That would be incredible. I love the actual physicality of it. It's all well and good you say, I'm going to bottle that energy and then give it to you for you to inhale every day. Yeah. Yeah. No, I know. I want to be.

You know what I want to be in it. I want to feel that. I want to see. I want to hear them singing to me. So this is where I'm out and I love it. And although, you know, now when people think, oh my God, why hasn't that person retired, they've got loads of money? I'm sure they are.

I can't retire. I haven't got that much money. But I love, when those people, like you can see and they're like, oh my God, why are they still doing this? Not that I get it. I get that. You know, like, Sir Elton John, right? He's been going for how many years, I think he's on his final or he's done his final tour.

Yeah, but he'll probably say. You know, I don't think, I always believe he won't because when you think about those songs that have been the back, lip back, you know, story for everyone's lives. There's no way he's going to be going home and twilling his thumbs. He's not going to do it.

And I get it. And I feel that feeling, that just that feeling when you go on stage and people start, you know, waiting, the anticipation until you sing your first note or in his case play that first note. It's like, wow. And then people just with you from the beginning to end.

And that's something, that's priceless. We are unbelievably lucky, though, to love what we do. Because there are a lot of people who, obviously, have to work, have to pay the mortgage. Like we all have to. Food on the table, the rest of it. But to love what we do.

And I pinch myself still. Me too. Many years later, just going, wow, I love what I do. And I get so much from hearing somebody else. And I wish there was a way that people could bottle up how you feel. Yeah. But what advice would you give somebody, so a young person who's really loves, singing, loves writing, what advice would you give them

now, even through the fear, the nerves Oh my God, I tell you what, if it's something you're passionate about, you know, you keep your focus on, you stay true to you, keep doing it, keep writing, keep singing. Now you have more advantages than I did back in the

day because you have all the platforms where you can release something of yours that will allow the most amount of people across the continent basically, all the world, to to see you in that one sending of a clicking of a button. And so just stay true to you. And as long as you love it, you just keep going.

And don't let anyone tell you can't do it. Because I had many people like... Did you have that? 100%. I mean, I didn't look like anybody. There's no one on TV that looked like me. There was no females donning eye patches or had lazy eyelids. They all would like stick thin or had a look.

There was a look. You had your look. Oh, please. I mean, don't give me wrong. You had your look. And most people would be scared about that. the moment I wore the eye patch, I felt so liberated. My mum was scared.

She's like, oh my God, you're going to bring attention to your eyelids. I didn't care. Whose idea was the iPad? It was actually a woman called Corinna Pike. She was the first person that I went to before. I even was signed to a company. And she was like a stylist. She was a stylist.

And she came up the idea. She's like, you know, you can't go on TV with sunglasses, being a new artist. They'll be like, who does she think she is? And I never used to hold people's gaze in interviews or even talking to people. because being wary of people seeing my lazy eyelid, I didn't have the money to buy sunglasses in those days. So the moment I put on that air patch, it was the first time I could hold even a male gaze,

even just anybody's gaze, wherever it was a male, but I felt in fact, usually I'd shy away from everyone, but men in particular were boys because I was younger at the time. And then all of a sudden I could hold my head up high. I could have a conversation with you and look you in the eye. Although I had the eye patch, I felt so empowered and it did look amazing. And I hail, I will forever be thankful and grateful to the eye patch. And I want to bring it back.

And now I just wear my hair to cover my eyes. And it's great. But I really love that eye patch. It gave me life. It really did. I love that and you felt empowered. I felt so empowered. Do you ever wear your hair away now or you still cover?

When I'm out and about always my hair covering my eyes. I mean, my kids, I go out, even if I wear a house, they're like, and I'm like, but this is me, and I always think, how do people know it's me? They're like, mum, there's not many people walking around with my eye out. My daughter from when she was young was drawing pictures of being, it's always like the one eye colours, you know what I mean? And it was funny, but it's who I am.

But, you know, when I'm at home, you know, my kids see me, you know, whether it's pinned back or stuff like that. And it's fine. But, you know, I feel like walking, for me, I wouldn't go out without my knickers and I wouldn't show my eye. But there's nothing wrong. I don't go out without my slap on. I'm sorry.

Me too. But you're beautiful. No, no. So are you. So are you. There's nothing wrong with that. And for me, I see with a lot of guys who have a lazy island, it's different for them. And they can show it.

It's actually quite a cute thing. But for me, being that from a child, I was bullied for it. Yeah. And now I get that. I understand. Yeah. So I don't need to show people. I've talked about it.

I'm never shy away from talking about it. But you've always talked about it. Yeah. And if it empowers, you know, there's other people. I like to think that for all the. young people out there who had an eyelid problem and they saw that, you know what, Gabriot didn't care and she was wearing whatever. Yeah, just be your

true authentic self. Do whatever it takes to feel good about you and that's it and the world will receive you however you want to present yourself. Oh, just you're so full of joy and life. This is amazing. Thank you. And also, I mean, what I love

about your songs and about you as a person is your honesty but also you're doing it for others. It's not about oh look at my live oh and it's not you don't want a sympathy vote you don't it's none of that it's just like this is me

take me as I am and enjoy the songs because they're for you exactly and the thing is although when I was in my phase of writing and every time I approach a new album and I'm writing it is like therapy for me but the moment they're finished and it's such a beautiful thing

that when I get to unleash them upon the world my audience it's a case of it's nice that the rest of response that they get and the fact that my music, each individual will take from it what they need. You know what I mean? So even if it's like, this is how this song is helpful for me or I want to lose myself in this song because of this meaning and somebody else will have another meaning. And I love that. That's what my music is there for. So people singing, has it ever happened? That's really, I've never asked anybody this. Does anybody ever just walk past you in the street and

sung the song in your face? No, actually no, once once. And it was more like not trying to dress and you'd be like dreams going. And I thought, okay, yeah, okay, I know you've seen me. But I don't mind that. I live for it. I've got friends who actually send me videos of them doing their supermarket shop. And I'm in the background. They're like, I swear you'll follow me.

I swear you'll follow me. You don't mean you physically. Exactly. Yeah, you're not stalking your friends with another little basket. Hello, oh my God. But no. So I love it. Does that ever happen to you then?

Have you been to a supermarket and they've played yourself? Many times. No. Many times. But I just think they clearly don't know I'm in here, but it is funny. And I do love that. I do love it. I mean, heads down, but I'm like, I do love it.

That's so funny. Oh, my word. I'd never, you know, I think in my 37 years, that's the first time I've ever asked anybody that. I'll take that. That's cool. I'll take that, my darling. Oh, Gabrielle, congratulations on the new album. Thank you, my love.

Enjoy the tour. Thank you. Enjoy the festivals. Enjoy your summer and just enjoy being a nanny as well. Thank you. Thank you for having me, my darling. Oh, it's so lovely to see you. You too.