The Soul Factory Concert Series Presents
Sat
Jun
30
Gordon Chambers
Bianca Raquel
DROM
85 Avenue A
(between 5th St & 6th St)
New York, NY, 10009
8:30PM (event ends at 11:00 pm)
This event is 21 and over
After amassing an impressive collection of prestigious awards and penning hit songs for some of R&B’s most iconic legends such as Anita Baker, Beyonce, Usher, Brownstone, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Yolanda Adams, Patti Labelle, and The Isley Brothers, esteemed Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Gordon Chambers is on the precipice of yet another exciting milestone in his career as a recording artist with the release of his third solo album, Sincere. Featuring production by The BeatBanggahz (Kenny Lattimore, Trey Songz, J. Holiday); A. Jermaine Mobley (Music Soulchild, Lalah Hathaway, Carl Thomas, Eric Roberson), and Chambers himself—alongside flavorful newcomers Darien Dorsey, Blake Melodius and Mike Severson, Sincere effortlessly melds a pop/ R&B sound with a classic soul aesthetic that is certain to surprise and delight contemporary R&B fans and soul enthusiasts alike.
The album is the result of Chambers employing a decidedly democratic approach to the creative process. “I didn’t have a premeditated vision for the album,” he admits. “For me, the process of making this album was more like being a curator: taking the pieces and elements around me to pastiche them together and tell a story.” In sharing the reigns of creative control, the creation of the album proved to be somewhat of a watershed moment for Chambers. “This time, I let the production team take control—especially Darien Dorsey, who produced four songs for me. Even though I was older and more experienced than the producers on this album, they were not so in awe of me that they couldn’t direct the sessions in the right direction.” The result is a melodic 12-track opus with a young, vibrant energy and sound all its own. Coinciding with this change in musical direction, Chambers also witnessed tremendous growth as a songwriter during the creation of Sincere. “Obviously you can’t ignore the new sounds,” he says. “But if you listen closely to the lyrics, you’ll hear that I’m speaking more honestly as a songwriter on this specific album – reflective of my own life – than ever before."
"There are many sounds on this album, but I think there’s truly something for everybody on this album,” says Gordon. “A lot of the great artists of our time have taken chances. I took chances sonically this time, because change is inevitable. This is an album that is reflective of where I am in this moment in time. Sincere has something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. This is the chapter I’m writing at this point in my career. And the way it’s sequenced, it takes the listener from the current to the classic. It’s a nice journey. You cook with what’s in the kitchen at the time.”
Bianca Raquel
Bianca Raquel is a singer, songwriter, producer, performer and musician. As the daughter of world-renowned musical director/arranger Ray Chew, it’s clear that the gift of music was passed down a generation. Growing up between two households with two different lifestyles and sets of rules between Upstate New York, NYC and New Jersey, Bianca found balance and consistency to be her biggest obstacles. The one constant variable in Bianca’s life has always been music. Practically growing up in the Apollo Theater, she dissected every rehearsal and performance; learning exactly what works onstage. From a very young age, Bianca began writing songs instinctively. “One day my dad heard me singing and he was like ‘who’s song is that?’ When I told him I made it up in my head he was like ‘you should start writing them down.’”At the age of 13, Bianca was the youngest student to attend the Grammy Foundation’s First Annual Grammy Camp. There, she was surrounded by 47 other talented students who inspired her to improve and nourish her talents. At 15, her father invested in her dreams and bought her a Roland Fantom. He told her to make it her business to learn her Fantom inside and out, using it as a way to take her production skills to the next level. Now a student at Berklee College of Music, where she continues to hone her skills, Bianca feels humbled and blessed by the opportunity. “At Berklee, I have been awarded the tremendous gift of musical discipline and theory which was the missing piece to my puzzle.” True to her art and to herself, there is depth to Bianca’s music, with influences ranging from Stevie Wonder to Radiohead. “One thing I pride myself on is having the ability to never be boxed in or labeled as simply one thing or another. As an artist, I don’t have to choose a genre but simply juice every drop of creativity I possess and give the world something new.” Tackling reality in her music with wit, passion and sophisticated lyrics beyond her years, the brand and legacy of Bianca Raquel is born. With her EP “Hello, My Name is…” set to be released, the world is waiting to hear what she has to say.
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