We should start with the fact that there is a heap of talented folks who contributed to the musical mastery of today’s song. Those names are: Gabou, 7&Nine, Stuffed Tomato, and Shakambo (full names in the Song Credits section). The creation in question is Breakthrough, an R&B sensation of 2 min and 38 sec capable of steeping your self-love doubts in its gentle emotional blanket peppered with snug vocalizations.
“I initially intended the chorus to be for one of my YouTube videos on a LoFi instrumental. Several months later however, thanks to social media, I befriended three fellow French musicians. When we decided to work together, 7&Nine brought up the hook and we crafted a whole new song around it. As for the emotions behind it, consider it a pledge of love to myself as an artist ready to embrace his creative truth. When you’re indie, it’s easy to get trapped in the race for success that the industry perpetuates. But I like to think I stepped back from that and am creating at my own pace,” shares Gabou from Paris, France exclusively for Blue Rhymez Entertainment.
The overwhelming sense of calm and romanticism is transparently evoked by the incipient guitar strums and accompanying synth organ. The astounding aspect comes in full effect when the lyrics hit the audience: Now I know, drop it all’s gonna be alright/ No flex on the breakthrough/ Laid back, crib in the garage, yeah/ Quit chasing the view/ Love yourself, easy to say but/ If I ever hesitate/ Do I get another chance/ To make me feel that way? We did not know it was possible to be so supporting, encouraging, and enamored by one’s own existence. If you feel uncomfortable like we did, we got news for you! We might all unanimously need some therapy for achieving the self-acceptance level that Gabou is bathing in. Or is it the je-ne-sais-quoi in the air in Paris?
The singer’s voice leaves traces of experience culminating in fun. The rendition you witness comes from an artist who’s been through many trials and tribulations and has found his sweet spot where his vocals mirror his inner peace and come through effortlessly.
I can understand the words/ If you only say you would/ If you just said you would/ I wanna feel like you/ Just find my way out/ My doubts just let them slide/ I know I get so hung up/ In my mind, I rewind/ It’s holding me up/ It’s time now, to break through, whimsically sings the artist and exquisitely connects the enthralling hook with the verse, Now I know, drop it all’s gonna be alright. If you noticed throughout the lines, Gabou, the lyricist, consciously left place for interpretation within the wording to allow the public to add their own perspective of self to the narrative. It’s the type of song that depending on the mood you’re in when listening to it, it changes its meaning.
The second hook immensely adds to the appeal of Breakthrough for it displays a touch of genius with variations in the secondary bars: Laid back crib in a garage, yeah/ Surf shirt swagger looking fly yeah, …, Be a table and inspire/ Quit chasing the view. We would like some additional explaining however on being a table!
Life in a concrete jungle/ I wonder how I got so settled/ A pat on a back I needed, to tell me/ Hey you, tell me what you’re gonna do/ Tell me what you’re tryin’ to prove/ It’s time to get a clear view, now I do, reverberates the gorgeous voice with enviable tranqulity and perfect pitch splendor. Yes we agree, the industry is jagged ’cause there’s no f*cking way a song like this put out by a record label would sit dormant on YouTube.
And because we’re NOT like the rest of the industry, we are gifting you an equally important link. That of the live performance of Breakthrough. Yup, it’s like Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake decided to morph into one singer that’s a much younger version.
There’s not much left to say in conclusion other than Breakthrough being a once-in-a-summer masterpiece. While coming off as a bonafide R&B mellow song, Breakthrough is authentically rooted in the artists’ ravenous appetite for creating timeless music. Think of Callin’ U by Outlandish.
Song Credits: Vincent Gabou (Gabou) – Artist, Songwriter; Luis Miguel Da Costa (Shakambo) – Music Producer; Grégory Gallerne (7&Nine) – Music Producer; Dany Da Silva Barao (Stuffed Tomato) – Music Producer.
Make sure you support Gabou and the featured artists by streaming Breakthrough on Apple Music HERE, Tidal HERE, Amazon Music HERE, Deezer HERE, and on Spotify below:
Written by Mariana Berdianu
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Blue Rhymez Entertainment 