With his outstanding debut EP, “gutta child”, grounded in grit and growth, Gabriel Jacoby has the edge and endurance to make it to the very top. He talks Tampa, autonomy and the impact of blues.
There’s something effortlessly timeless about Gabriel Jacoby. Through musky, rustic vocal tones, he muses on life, love, adversity and growth, with the kind of indelible poetry and deft musicianship that suggests a generational talent slow-cooking in the furnace.
Born in South Carolina and raised in Florida, there’s a distinctly southern circumference to Jacoby. He writes, produces, records, mixes and masters his own music – talk about artistic autonomy. Currently supporting Khamari on tour, the emerging artist, songwriter and producer has proven he has the conceptual chops to go against the very best with an excellent debut body of work.
Entitled “gutta child”, released 14th November, the EP is an A-Z of contemporary R&B, with flashes of Anderson. Paak, touches of Masego, tints of Pharrell Williams in his jazz-inflected soulful, bluesy core. Vocally unique – with his raspy, rousing tone instantly recognisable – and with the lyrical depth and stylistic maturity of someone far beyond his 27 years, it’s apparent that Jacoby is one of R&B’s most sure-fire newcomers.
Below, he talks to Wonderland about his hands-on approach to artistry, growing up in Tampa, and how the new project pays homage to his experiences.
Listen “gutta child”…
Where did the root for your love of music stem from?
Growing up listening to Bob Marley and Nina Simone, and Outkast, and a lot of those dope artists who I really look up to because of their message and overall being very inspirational to me.
How did your hometown of Tampa shape your sound?
I think it shaped my sound in a way where growing up in the South and growing up in certain neighbourhoods, where the local music in Tampa was something I had never heard before. And so it sparked an interest in me, and naturally, just growing up around that, I feel like it’s easy for me to dedicate some form of art to it or some aspect of my music to the Tampa sound, which at heart is real funky and bluesy.
How have your life experience inspired your artistic output and outlook?
I grew up in nature as a kid. I grew up in the woods and on a farm, and I have a lot of younger siblings, and I feel like those things alone it was easy to create based on my atmosphere. Growing up in Florida and in South Carolina and being around nature, that was my biggest thing.
You’re someone who is hands on across the creative board – from writing to mixing, music production to video direction. Why is that key for you as an artist? In what ways does it help portray your vision?
I think it’s important to me because I want to immerse myself completely in what I create. And I want people to know, no matter if it’s something I produce or write or whatever it is, I want them to know that’s me all across the board, no matter what generation is listening to me or who knows about me. I want the people to trust my sound and the feeling I give to music. So that’s why I involve myself in all parts of the creativity. And whenever I’m creating, writing, or even making the beat, I’m also thinking about the visual. It helps me think of it like I’m making a movie and also creating the soundtrack for that movie.
Looking ahead to your debut EP, how are you feeling about the release?
I’m very excited for this to come out because it’s my first project, and I put a lot of love into it. I put a lot of fresh feeling into it so other people could be excited for it. I just wanted it to be able to stand alone as a classic project. Even if it was my last project ever, I still wanted it to hold weight in the world. With everything going on, with my singles doing well, everybody’s starting to find out about me, I feel like it’s perfect timing for me to put something out as a body of work.
Why is the project called “gutta child”?
I felt like I needed to speak to where I’m from and why I am the way I am. I wanted to share a new perspective on who I am and where I’ve come from. Even though you can come from the gutter, can come from the ghetto, or any kind of impoverished life, you can still be yourself and still find greatness out of that. And even though everybody’s situations are different, there’s always a pathway for a positive outlook.
What did you set out to achieve with the work? How did you bring it to life?
I wanted to heal people. I want people to find the best versions of themselves and find peace and find liberation, and I feel like with this project, it’s just the beginning. Whether you’re a young child or an older person, you’ll be able to relate. And I think the biggest thing is just finding love and loving yourself.
What were the specific musical influences on the project?
Blues, to some degree, is the foundation of a lot of the music we have in this world. And so I want to bring it back in a way to where it consumable by everybody and not seen as an old style of music while also creating something new. I’m still involved in funk, blues, and soul, because at the end of the day, regardless of the genre, it’s all just music and art.
What do you want listeners to take away from the EP?
If I had something I was trying to teach or a feeling I wanted to convey, it’s to go with the flow. Because from the beginning of the EP to the end, it’s kind of like a growth thing, and so I want people to know that it’s alright to be yourself, but also it’s okay to grow and change. And that you can feel good while listening to music, and there’s still music out there that can open up a good feeling in you.
What else is to come from you – this year and beyond?
We’ll release this project and then hopefully get my own headlining tour set up so I can travel and show my music to the world. And then I want to put out an album, a full album. But yeah, I just want to keep going, make as much music as possible for as long as possible, and travel.
Photography – Juan Nieto
Words – Ben Tibbits
