Goapele - Strong As Glass (iTunes)

Goapele Mohlabane possesses a distinctive name, background story and voice. Her first name means “to move forward” in Setswana, a language spoken in South Africa, which is the homeland of her father, Douglas Mohlabane  The elder Mohlabane was a political dissident and exile during that country’s Apartheid era, and he went to college in Kenya. That is where he met Goapele’s mother, Noa, a woman of Jewish descent who had been attending rallies and participating in causes with her parents since she was 12. The couple eventually settled in the Bay Area’s South African exile community. Goapele is celebrating the release of her fifth studio album Strong As Glass, which hit stores this week.  Following the fun and funky single “Hey Boy,” the singer has now released a stream of the album’s title track for fans and new listeners to enjoy. Over elegant keys and soft percussion, Goapele opens her heart to the world, but shares her understanding that while she’s a strong, courageous woman, she still needs to be treated with gentle care. “I’m only as strong as glass, they say I’m built to last, but I could break,” she softly sings on the chorus as the tempo picks up and she belts out the commanding lyrics. Strong As Glass is currently available on iTunes.

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