Gabriel Royal
Oklahoma-born, Brooklyn-based thirty-something singer-songwriter and cellist, Gabriel Royal got his start playing his ‘grown up lullabies’ in the subway stations of New York City. That’s where he found his lawyer, his manager, his cello and where he continues to find a genuine connection with his inspiration: the commuters of New York. Having emerged as a trailblazing talent with inimitable style and enviable range, Royal has also performed at NYC’s top music venues, including Poisson Rouge and Blue Note Jazz Club; played to sold-out audiences in countries around the world and collaborated with some of the industry’s most in-demand names. Known for his soaring vocals, hum-along melodies, and lush arrangements, Royal, a classically trained musician, is among a select number of artists combining cello and voice.
Influenced by Stevie Wonder’s groove and Burt Bacharach’s jazzy yet poppy sensitivities, along with other contemporary artists such as John Legend, Hiatus Coyote, Flying Lotus, James Blake, Janelle Monae and Thundercat, Gabriel’s trademark sound is all his own. His 2016 self-titled, debut album established Royal as an artist with extraordinary sensitivity and creative intuition. Contemplating themes of love and loss, triumph and failure, and the ups and downs of relationships, the album speaks to Royal’s emotional range—and his penchant for romance.