Gabriel Royal
press release: The Wisconsin Union Theater welcomes Gabriel Royal to the Play Circle on Friday, November 16, 2018 at 8:00 pm. Pricing is as follows: UW-Madison students are $10, Youth is $20, Union Members and Non-UW Students are $21, UW-Madison Faculty and Staff are $23, General Public is $25. Tickets may be bought online, by phone at 608-265-ARTS (2787) or in person, see locations and hours here.
With humble beginnings in the New York subway circuit, cellist and singer-songwriter Gabriel Royal developed a relaxed-jazz and soulful-pop sound in response to the rapid pace at which modern urban life moves.
Becoming a musician and subway performer was not was not an obvious career path for the certified visual arts teacher. Shuffling his way home one day, through the dense and noisy New York City platform with only a single dollar in his pocket, Royal heard what he deemed a “pretty crappy” cello player. Upon getting closer, Royal discovered the performer’s bag had $20 in it. “That was twenty times as much as I had at the time,” Royal recollects. So he went home, got his cello and went back to the subway to take a chance. That first night he made $30.
“His voice is soft and sweet and proves the perfect antidote to screeching trains and squealing kids." - The Huffington Post
Influenced by Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach, and Janelle Monae, Royal’s “grown-up lullabies” bridge the gap between classic soul music and contemporary pop. His musical style is undeniably fresh yet still somehow familiar.
On September 7, 2018, he released his second album, entitled Miss Once in a Blue Moon. Chart Room Media described the album in their review as “featuring elegant melodies and expert songwriting—recalling the work of John Legend and others—the album presages what is sure to be a breakout year for an artist who spent more than a decade busking in the subway tunnels of New York City.
This performance is presented by the Wisconsin Union Theater’s Performing Arts Committee. This project was supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts. WORT, 89.9 FM is the media sponsor.