NEWS
By Abdur Rahman
February 13, 2024
If you’ve been around the Philly open mic scene, you’ve heard local singer and songwriter Carla Gamble. And if you’ve heard her, you’ve been impressed.
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This fixture on the local music community stays productive as best as she can, and just released her latest EP, Soulsthetic. In a conversation on WXPN Local, Gamble and I talked about her creative journey that began with writing a poem at age nine — it was called “I Never Knew A Man Could Cry,” and was written for her father — and was fueled by classic soul records played around the house, Def Poetry Jam soaked in on the TV, and eventually, getting out in the scene and fusing words and sounds in her own unique way.
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The next couple months, Gamble is very busy. She’s playing Fly Girrl’s Sweet Love party at Silk City on Valentine’s Day, alongside Queen Jo, DJ Aktive, and Suzanne Sheer. Then her Voices of Philly Soul series kicks in, where Gamble curates shows around different groups of creative women in the Philly community — comedians, poets, musicians and more.
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On February 25th, Voices of Philly Soul’s first comedy showcase happens at Punchline Philly with Chanel Ali, Shanell Renee and more. Next up, on March 16th, the Voices of Philly Soul Mental Health Panel brings together Dyana Williams, Ursula Rucker, and more at Friends Center in Center City. And on March 21st, the Voices of Philly Soul music showcase returns to World Cafe Live, with Gamble, Chioke, spoken word artist LadLady Sarkazym and more.
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Get tickets and more information on the Voices of Philly Soul series at Carla Gamble’s website, listen to our interview above, check out her new Soulsthetic EP, along with some interview excerpts, down below.
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Contributing Writer: Shamar Ridgeway & Urban X-pressions NewsMag
Carla Gamble is a name that you need to know if you’re a fan of soulful, R&B-infused music. With her latest album, “She is,” out now, Gamble is quickly becoming a legacy artist to watch in the music industry. Her unique sound and powerful voice have captivated audiences for years, and with this latest release, she is sure to win over even more fans. In this article, we’ll delve into Carla Gamble’s musical background and discuss why she’s poised for greatness in the world of music.
Legacy Ent: Who do you look up to as sources of inspiration in the music industry?
Carla Gamble: I would say I’m inspired by all of the women doing amazing things in the music and entertainment industry.
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Women’s History Month is in full swing and with Philly having a rich history in the music scene, it only made sense to create an event highlighting the area’s top talents. Philly’s own Carla Gamble who began her career in 2002 has been a key piece in Philly’s R&B scene, now she is looking to put a spotlight on her fellow singers with a special night to celebrate their talents. Carla has curated the line-up for the upcoming Voices of Philly Soul Ladies Edition, taking place at World Cafe Live (3025 Walnut St.) March 16th starting at 8 pm.
“Guests can expect amazing performances by some of Philadelphia’s most talented woman musicians and entertainers. We have special merchandise giveaways, one hour of free cocktails from our beverage sponsor “Uncle Nearest” (Woman lead company); which includes a double DJ dance party featuring DJ Lola Kinks and DJ Lady Fx. We also have the distinguished honor of guest speakers Councilmember Kendra Brooks, Promoter Sunny Da Drummer (Female Takeover), and Journalist Toya Haynes,” Carla describes. Tickets are on sale now at WorldCafeLive.
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We had the good fortune of connecting with Carla Gamble and we’ve shared our conversation below.
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Hi Carla, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
The most important lesson my business/career has taught me is that everyone is not your friend, and the entertainment business is tough. When I walk in any room, I do so with a kind, humble and welcoming vibe. It’s not always reciprocated to me in the same way I treat people. It does sting a little but the experience of keeping a small circle of friends and not giving everyone a piece of me, has been a great way of going about protecting my energy.
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How better to celebrate Women’s History Month and the City of Sisterly Love and Soul than to have host-curator Carla Gamble welcome the crème of Philly’s R&B scene to the stages of World Café Live.
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Our editor Toya Haynes recently interviewed our June Artist of the Month Carla Gamble about her new album She Is. Read what she had to say about some of the songs on her new album and what it’s like being an artist in today’s Philly soul music scene during this very unique time in Black music.
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PSN: When did you realize that singing was something you wanted to do professionally?
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Carla Gamble: I actually started recording when I was about 13. I recorded a poetry album. It was called From My Lips to Your Ears. So we were basically you know, walking around selling albums on foot and such. An amazing producer and guitar player from Philadelphia, Richard Tucker, produced most of my songs. I feel like I really got my feet on the ground with recording at a very young age.
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CITY OF PHILADELPHIA CITATION,
JULY 2022
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