PAUSE Meets: GABZY

In a world of awkward talking stages, situationships and heartbreak the musical ointment that eases the scars of these cold nights is from one, Gabzy. Equipped with Lyrical dexterity and vulnerability, the world of Gabzy is authored around the silk staccato of his vocal ability, but more importantly, a composite of adroit lyricism and insightful storytelling. At the core, Gabzy appears to nibble from the Afro beats plate while sipping with “old school” r&b ties; at a closer look, the 25-year-old has begun to sowe his very own genre, acquiring a legion of new fans in the process.

Gabzy – you know I’m a stan account but let’s start from the beginning, throwing it back, what’s the first song that made you want to make music?

Way back, my dad used to play a lot of Jagged Edge growing up. I feel like it was just the way it made me feel – also a lot of Joe Thomas!

What’s an ideal morning like for Gabzy? Do you have a routine?

I’m quite slow and I’m not gonna lie to you. quite slow. I have my breakfast. Listen to music. I usually just listen to my own stuff. Sometimes I listen to other people’s stuff But most of the time I listen to my own music unreleased stuff, trying to perfect it. I have my cereal and my juice and I’m good to go.

We typically hear a Gabzy anthem alongside your friend Melvitto, who lives in the states, and is almost the Ying to your Yang, how did you guys meet?

I was actually working with a label [In the states] for two years. And yeah, he was under the same label. Um, I guess we just kept the connection.
it’s gotten to the point where I can just send him like my vocals. And he will make a beat around it and it always sounds how I’d imagined.

It’s common knowledge that some people don’t expect to see you guys apart, what do you think about that?

Yeah, that’s I mean, I mean, that’s cool. But I feel like right now we have the Melvitto and Gabzy brand, but we’re still our own artists at the end of the day. He’s gonna do what he does, and I’m gonna do what I do.

So we have each other on Instagram, so I’m fully aware of what you’ve been up to, recently I’ve seen a writers camp debut; you were in the studio with Angel and of course Odeal. Do you think your ready to tap into your writer’s bag?

Most definitely. I like making music – I just like making music in general from different perspectives. There are some songs I have that I know are great – but I can’t put them out. So, I’m definitely going to tap into my writer’s bag

Malone being your very own Beyonce “Sasha Fierce-esque” alter ego what’s the mood when you tap into the Malone side of your music?

Thandie, Gabzy is sweet he’ll tell you what you want to hear, a real sweet boy [Jeez]. Malone is the opposite, he’s more direct. Some people will say Malone is more real than Gabzy because he’s telling you the truth. If that upsets you, that’s you init.

So who’s the toxic one?

Definitely Malone.

Have you ever been in love? And what can one expect from the romantic side of Gabzy?

I’ll actually say I have been in love. I feel like [laughs] I’m a very romantic guy, flowers on the bed and all that stuff.

You don’t like to consider yourself an R&B artist – for some people that may put you in an unknown category or a category you may not agree with. In your own words, where do you belong?

To be honest with you, I call it a word but I don’t think that I belong in any genre. I feel like I can dibble and dabble in all of them. There are sides you people have heard, and there are some that you haven’t. The more I put out music the more you guys will learn how versatile.

For every house, there’s a foundation though, what’s yours?

Definitely, the Afro influence and I just love r&b so there will always be a touch of that.

When I listen to Gabzy song, I listen when I’m trying to tap into the emotions of love, heartbreak and situationships. How do you tap into some of these emotions that you’re not going through personally?

I feel like I observe a lot. I know what people would relate to. I study people and some songs I might not necessarily be going through per-say heartache – but I’ll be feeling something. So you can still feel something. With Still Think of You I recorded it and sent it to Melvitto and he said, “It’s great the emotion is not there. Take some time out and wait till you’re going through something.. go have a fight with your girl [laughs]

Wait, men are picking fights to really get the emotion for the song, wow.

Yeah, go have a fight come back and the emotions will be there

So let’s make a musical sandwich, you’re the middle filling, who are you picking for sauce and bread?

Definitely Drake. Then I have to go with my boy Melvitto