Multi-talented Gangalee bends genres fluently in her bold single, “Follow Me Now,” off of her album, “La Esmerelda.”
Born in The Bronx, New York, the birthplace of Hip-hop, GangaLee received her first hands-on lesson in the realm of rapping and battling when she received several opportunities to make her introduction on the scene and rhyme on mixtapes for DJ Doo Wop.
Currently reigning from Tampa, Florida, Gangalee has not let her foot off the gas, as she fuels the fire in her to create music and stay in the arts industry as a creative. She has established her own rapidly growing indie record label titled, DOE Records, as well as hosts the weekly podcast, “She Can Talk” which streams everywhere podcasts are available.
It doesn’t stop there, she is still dedicated to creating great music of her own as Gangalee carries a warm embrace that she aims at shedding light on other artists in the industry by creating platforms and opportunities for them to shine their artistic versatility as they show promise as talented up and comers.
“Follow Me Now,” entices you with the ambiance of the up-tempo rhythm that surges through your headphones. The instrumentation transports you to a futuristic utopia where Hip-hop meets Funk meets Reggae with a modern edge.
Gangalee displays her sultry confidence in a manner that you can feel through the sound waves. With each word vocalized she sprinkles her own flair to the top quality record you hear and love. Gangalee is depicting a story of what makes her who she is. If you’re along for the ride, you better move quickly and follow her now, before it’s too late.
The captivating hook, “Come follow me now, right now,” dances in your mind as you effortlessly move to the rhythm in both Gangalee’s performance as well as the way the composition fits with the vocals gracefully. Her emcee like delivery has a zest that only she can hold as the tonal distinction she puts forth has a melodic essence in the components displayed.
As Gangalee brings an abundance to the table, it is very easy to hear that fearlessness is one of those traits. “Follow Me Now,” has us following her every move as she makes her way up in the music industry.
Congratulations on the release of “Follow Me Now.” This song carries so many components in terms of artistic styles. We would love to know; what did your creative process look like when creating this record?
The creative process used when making "Follow Me Now" was interesting. My producer Colossal TV was in the studio making the beat and I came in and instantly started singing the hook "Come Follow Me Now". He stopped and said "I like that!" so the hook was pretty easy, however, I wanted to expand on the hook, We know in this social media age that is a very often used phrase "Follow Me on Twitter.. etc" or something like that. But I did not want to stick to the obvious, the hook is really a phrase old school dancehall Jamaican artists would say to the band or the DJ to cue them to follow their lead.
So that is where the hook came from, then I said l wanted to take my audience on a musical journey through my mind and life. So in the first verse, I touch on present-day things that I do like like living a quiet life, recording music all day, and working on making a name for myself. In the second verse, I take it back to my childhood in the Bronx and share some insights into my youth on the second verse. In the third verse, I try to leave the audience with some jewels I used to navigate my life, and perhaps someone listening can apply the nuggets I shared with their life and growth. Creating this song was not a one-take recording session because I wanted to make sure I conveyed my message in an impactful way. What made you decide to make “Follow Me Now,” the single off of your album?
I can say as the year went on, ( and what a year it has been!) I decided this song had the most relatable message. So many are going through loss, struggles, and trying to overcome them, while others may want to make a change and just may not know where to start. In the past I was on both ends of this spectrum and music has been my biggest therapist during those times, both creating and listening to music.
So I believe in paying it forward, if music helps me through some tough times I want to create music to help others through tough times and then be the soundtrack to their celebration when they overcome. So with that being said, I chose "Follow Me Now" because I felt somebody needed to hear it and I want them to know by just releasing their fears and letting go things will change for the better. What does a record like this mean to you as an artist and an individual?
This is a very personal and introspective record for me. I literally shed my skin and share some of my fears, and struggles with this song. That is something I tried to avoid in the past however as I embrace the new me, I am learning to appreciate songs where I am truly honest, no gimmick, no tall tales, no fake beef, just raw emotion. I want music to go back to a fun time where we can let our hair down be creative and not be judged for being different. What message would you like listeners to take away from “Follow Me Now”?
I want them to know we all have a story, we all felt like we were being overlooked at one point, but that should not discourage you from pursuing your dreams, and follow your dreams into the moonlight, meaning aim as high as you want! What has been keeping you inspired throughout 2020?
My family for sure! Also, the ability to be creative on a more consistent basis has truly inspired me to challenge myself. I will say seeing so many creative people around the world put out awesome content on a daily basis has also inspired me to contribute my art as well as to continue to create relatable music.
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