As time progresses, so does music, and 26 year old Boston native, Noel Gourdin and his sound are no exception to the rule. With a voice as fluid as water, and a sultry undertone as smooth as silk, it’s hard to determine which is more humbling his music or his personality. We kicked it with the next ‘Sultry Son’ of R&B to talk about his debut Epic Records release, the flow of “The River,” and why “Summertime” is so hot.
Jamaur: Well Noel we really want to thank you for speaking with us today, I’m more than sure that there are plenty of other places you could be.
Noel: Nah, I appreciate the opportunity, I am never too busy.
Jamaur: So tell us here at Middle Child what drives you and the inspiration behind your music?
Noel: In the industry music like mine can get lost. There’s no profanity or down grading of women, we promote love, life, and timeless music that cane relate to so many and that has such a wide variety.
Jamaur: Speaking of music, your debut CD is a real buzz catcher, tell us a little bit (for those who haven’t heard its praises) about the album and what fans should expect to hear from you on this one?
Noel: I worked with a great production team on this album, from Trackaddix, to Raphall Saadiq, who produced the song, “Precious Young Thang;” I also worked with Eddy L, who produced “Too Late.” This album has a lot of R&B Soul, as well as a Rock undertone, which you will hear on “Sorry I Led You On.” There is something on the album that everyone can dig, with this album were trying to erase boundaries.
Jamaur: The album has great upbeat-sultry cuts like “The River,” and one of my favorites, the painfully honest, “Sorry I Led You On;” let us in on the track and what it’s all about?
Noel: Often times, it gets to a point in a relationship where you realize that this is not who you want to spend your life with, and you feel like you’ve done something wrong, and you don’t want to waste time. It’s a vulnerable feeling, sometimes you feel bad talking about the truth. This record is hard and truthful.
Jamaur: Is this something that you have had experience with?
Noel: In a way yes. It’s real and that’s what we’re trying to promote on this album, we wanted this album to have a soulful undertone with a classic rock feel.
Jamaur: You’ve been compared to D’Angelgo and many can hear soulful remnants in your voice, tell us who’s inspired you to get to the place you are in your music today?
Noel: It originally came from my Pops, he was always listening to those “oldies but goodies,” and growing up I listened to allot of them as well, everyone from Sam Cooke to Earth Wind and Fire, Marvin Gaye, and all the greats; I also grew up practicing a lot of Prince songs. I’ve been compared to D’Angelo, and I think that he’s great company to be in.
Jamaur: From one brother to another, tell me what its like being 26 in an industry that is filled with temptations and a plethora of things which can distract you from your goals. How do you stay focused?
Noel: Just being grounded and focused is the best culmination for me. My production team, who I call “My Delta”, is the legs which I stand on, were all sacrificing and remaining focused to get where we want to be. We’re sacrificing for our families, so it’s not hard to stay focused.
Jamaur: Noel, your career and music are advancing so fast, tell us where you see yourself and your music in a year from now?
Noel: I see (I am going to sound biased) the album doing good, and it giving everyone something to relate to, from “The River,” to all the other tracks. It’s an album that makes you think, and it helps me touch other.
Jamuar: Speaking of your music, there’s an awesome song on your CD entitled “Summertime,” tell us all about the track and what we should expect to hear from it in the upcoming season which holds it’s namesake?
Noel: It is a sultry song; I worked with Vidal, Dre, and The Clutch on the song. It’s almost like Marvin Gaye’s, “Lets Get It On.” I wanted to do something with an old school feel, with lyrics of today; I wanted to promote love, which is one thing the world needs more of. In modern terms I was just trying to “get it poppin’ (Laughs).”
Jamuar: Well Noel we here at MCP are all about the exclusive, so before you jet, why don’t you tell us a little something about Noel Gourdin the man, that people may not know?
Noel: My favorite color is Brown (Laughs). I’m humble and very approachable; anyone can have a drink with me, and any lady can dance with me. I feel that it’s important to build relationships, because this industry is as big as a bottle cap, you can never be to humble.