Shanelle Gabriel profile picture

Shanelle Gabriel

HBO Def Poet/Singer/Actress/Model/Everything Else!

About Me

.. Buy my new album on CDBABY.com: Start Something --

Shanelle Gabriel is a 23-year-old spoken word and singing virtuoso. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY she has displayed her skills at colleges and venues across the country. She performed the Promo Opening and featured on 2007's sixth season of HBO's Def Poetry Jam and recorded a nationally televised promo for the 2007 NFL Draft. Greatly influenced by Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, Richard Smallwood, and Stevie Wonder for their emphasis on lyrics and creativity, her tenacity has allowed her to become a shining star in whatever path she has endeavored to take.

Shanelle got her early start showcasing her talents in church where she is still very active. Later, she acted in productions of The Vagina Monologues and Macbeth. At the Utica College Auditorium she performed as both a singer and actress while earning her B.A. in Communication Arts. She was a Def Jam College promoter and a leading radio personality on WPNR 90.7 FM.

In the summer of 2004, Shanelle was diagnosed with SLE Lupus. Yet she decided that her health would not be something that would limit her success. Using that as her fuel, she decided that she would pursue her dream of being a performing artist as well as encourage others who have obstacles in their path to do the same. She states, "My battle with Lupus has been tedious, but God has a plan. That plan does not include giving up on life. I want to be a testimony to others that no matter what, faith and determination can accomplish any goal."

Shanelle presently facilitates creative writing workshops throughout New York City and promotes Lupus awareness. Her amazing debut album, "Start Something" fuses Shanelle's skill at spoken word poetry with her soulful, sultry singing. Using her upbeat pop, old school hip-hop, and inspirational soul sound, Shanelle’s vibrant personality shines through each word and melody she shares. "Every time I perform, I aim to plant a seed in someone, a new perspective. This is more than just standing on a stage simply reading my work or singing a tune. This is me sharing me."

Shanelle Gabriel is available for performances, workshops, and other engagements.

For information on booking, please email [email protected].

"I Feel Like Going On" (Summer 2007)

Live from The Nuyorican Poets Cafe, NY (June 2006)

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 2/23/2006
Band Website: shanellegabriel.com- Official website!
Band Members: Shanelle, The Holy Spirit, a Notebook, and a really good pencil. Working together, Shanelle's art is formed...
Influences: Lauryn Hill, The Clark Sisters, Jill Scott, Faith Evans, Maya Angelou, Sonia Sanchez, Ntozake Shange, Alice Walker, Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder, my mother, Mental Vision, RIP, The 2005 Nuyorican Slam Team, Mo Browne, Christabell, The 5th L, Survivor, August, J. Ivy, Gemineye, High Priestess, Tru, and many other artists who have helped inspire me...

"A musician must make music, the artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be."-- Abraham Maslow ****************************************************
Sounds Like:




Type of Label: None

My Blog

10 Random Things...

Write 10 random things about yourself, then list ten friends and why you chose them, and then leave them a comment to let them know that you tagged them....Well, I'm all about the randomness:1. M...
Posted by Shanelle Gabriel on Sat, 01 Mar 2008 07:53:00 PST

How Obama Made Me Think... My Thoughts on the Primaries

Now it's my turn to be angry... During my performance last night at Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire, my boyfriend continuously messaged me on my blackberry so I could be updated on the voting...
Posted by Shanelle Gabriel on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:44:00 PST

Help me! I Couldn't Vote Today!!!! :(

See, what had happened was.... While it was fun watching the Super Bowl in Boston with my sister-poet/sista-Greek, Iyeoka, and her friends, and it was excellent just hanging out with her (and her t...
Posted by Shanelle Gabriel on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:23:00 PST

How Obama Taught Me To Hate Blacks

This is a myspace blog that was forwarded to me and it is awesome! Interesting to note that Hillary Clinton grew up in the Chicago suburbs... not that it matters ;) How Obama Taught Me to Hate Black...
Posted by Shanelle Gabriel on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:53:00 PST

Chris Brown's Concert Review (a lil late, a lil long)

(I want to start being on point with my blog. This is a little late, but it was written with love.) Aight, so what had happened was... I wanted to be the cool auntie for 2007, and Christmas time...
Posted by Shanelle Gabriel on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:34:00 PST

Life Without Lupus...Check this video out!

Hey everyone,For those of you that were not aware, I was diagnosed with SLE (Lupus) in Summer 2004. The S.L.E. Lupus Foundation posted a new video online - "Life Without Lupus." Many people don't know...
Posted by Shanelle Gabriel on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 07:51:00 PST

Thanksgiving Thoughts...Sorry, not food related.

Y'all, I really haven't been thankful enough.This has been such a great year, and it's easy to miss the small blessings in your life. Like, the train fare not being increased, like my ability to ALWAY...
Posted by Shanelle Gabriel on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:41:00 PST

My Feature on www.yoraps.com

COLUMNS & BLOGS ..> ...
Posted by Shanelle Gabriel on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 06:05:00 PST

Finally a poem about Lupus...(Rough draft)

If it wasn't for vanity/ I don't know where I'd be/ I'd been achy and sleepless from migrane's all week/ still I continued to keep/on going/ class from 8 to 2:30/ got a BSU meeting at 3/ dance practic...
Posted by Shanelle Gabriel on Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:43:00 PST

LAST CHANCE TO AUDITION FOR MY VIDEO/ SHORT FILM!

LAST CHANCE TO AUDITION!Because I love my myspace people so much, I'm opening this to you all as well:I will be doing a video for the track "Games" that's on my page. Anyone interested can audition. I...
Posted by Shanelle Gabriel on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 06:17:00 PST