THE RHYTHM BEHIND MARIE GABRIELLE’S LEGACY
Guided by soul and shaped by sound, Marie Gabrielle’s journey weaves together music, mentorship, and meaning. It proves that true artistry is as much about purpose as it is performance.
“I HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF EVERY DAY THAT THIS IS A GIFT THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR AND ITS POWER TO MOVE PEOPLE, TO TELL STORIES, AND TO GENERATE AND CREATE MEMORABLE MOMENTS AND CONNECTIONS.”
MARIE GABRIELLE, GUITAR PLAYER, SINGER, SONGWRITER, PRODUCER, ACTOR
Marie Gabrielle doesn’t just play the guitar. She lets it carry stories her own and the ones too often left out of the spotlight. Growing up between the Lower East Side and the Bronx, her childhood was filled with the sound of Motown records, street rhythms, and the quiet strum of a girl falling in love with music. She wasn’t in it for fame. She was chasing something more lasting: truth.
Her path wasn’t linear. She studied classical guitar, played blues in New York clubs, and eventually shared the stage with legends like B.B. King, Wyclef Jean, H.E.R., Taj Mahal, Lucinda Williams, and the late Dr. John. Her debut album, Restless Angel, produced with Hugh McCracken and Dae Bennett, didn’t just launch her internationally; it captured the soul of someone who knew exactly what she came here to say.
But for Marie, success was never just about stages and records. Her music has been featured in award-winning films and shows on Netflix, NBC, and Amazon. She’s written for theater, worked behind the scenes as a producer, and founded The Fret No More Foundation, a nonprofit placing guitars in the hands of girls who are ready to find their voice.
Gabrielle is a rare kind of multi-hyphenate: an artist, a mentor, and a woman with vision. Through her production company, MojoMama, and her continued mentorship, she uses her journey to make space for others to rise. Her work proves what we often forget that creativity driven by care leaves the most profound imprint.
In this conversation, Marie shares the rhythms that shaped her, the people who helped her rise, and what it means to create a life where soul, service, and sound move in harmony.
You’ve called your music a form of storytelling. What were some of the first things you remember expressing through it?
I started playing classical guitar and singing in school and church choirs in the 5th grade, so I think that was my very first real expression of telling a story through music. Even though it was someone else’s story, I could still feel the emotions behind it and hear the instrumentation of the music.
As far back as I can remember, I have always written songs and poetry and acted them out for my grandmother. There was always music on in the house, and my parents had a large record collection of all genres, so I think it just seemed to come naturally. I used to keep a notebook and ride up and down the elevator in my building with my friend just to look at people and makeup stories about them. I did the same thing on the subway. I think I’ve always been empathetic, observant, and intrigued with people and their stories, and later made it the impetus for my own songwriting.
Growing up in the Bronx and the Lower East Side must have given you much to absorb. How did those neighborhoods shape your perspective and your sound?
My life started on the Lower East Side and then The Bronx. Both of those neighborhoods were colorful and filled with excitement, culture, food, and music. It was the peak of the music business, and the rhythms of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s were everywhere. I’m Italian and Puerto Rican…and was exposed to everything from Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack to West Side Story, Trini Lopez, Tito Puente, B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, and more…and even the birth of Hip Hop in the Bronx. My music perspective was opened wide, and there was a musical heartbeat in the air and on every block. And every songwriter had something to say. I feel like my sound is rooted in the many styles and influences that I was exposed to.
You’ve moved from classical training to late-night blues gigs to the primary stages. What helped you stay grounded through it all?
I think that God and Prayer have always been a grounding force for me. And I try to stay healthy in mind, body, and spirit through meditation, exercise, lots of laughter, no drama, a positive outlook, and surrounding myself with a supportive and uplifting tribe of friends and family.
For some reason, no matter what is going on around me, I always seem to have this deep feeling that everything is ultimately going to be okay.
You’ve performed with some incredible artists—B.B. King, H.E.R., and Taj Mahal. Are there any moments from those collaborations that still stay with you?
I’ve always wanted to learn from the Masters and as a guitar player B.B. King was on my bucket list. I was introduced to him by my mentor and musical director, the late great Hugh McCracken, and was fortunate enough to be invited to open his shows during his Midwest tour right before he left us. He was a very kind and generous man and would show me things on the guitar. He even let me play his signature guitar named Lucille! I learned so much and am so grateful for that experience.
The gig with H.E.R. was at a private event with several different musical artists sharing the stage, and she was starting to get recognized. I knew she was going to pave the way for young female guitar players, and shortly after that gig, her album reached number 1.
Another Master and one of my most memorable music experiences was Taj Mahal! He’s an icon at 83 and still touring! We had so much fun at the Melbourne Blues Festival in Australia, playing to a crowd of over 20,000 people! We both play slide guitar and Dobro, and he shared some priceless music wisdom with me that I will never forget.
Restless Angel is such an evocative title. What did it mean to you then, and what does it mean now?
The inspiration for the Album title and Song “Restless Angel” came to me from people I met and experiences I had very early on in my music journey. I left NYC for a year to play in different music scenes and festivals throughout the South and ended up in Houston, Texas, which was literally the antithesis of my culture and upbringing on the Lower East Side and the Bronx. I went on a wild drive from Houston, Texas, to New Orleans with a crazy Southern cowboy type who had a kind heart and lived life to the fullest… But had no fear and was always on the edge of destruction. Sort of like a Restless Angel? It’s one of the most honest songs I’ve written, and people from all music genres around the World seem to love and relate to this song. Maybe because there’s a bit of a Restless Angel in all of us?
You’ve worked across theater, film, and music. What draws you to a project that feels worth your voice?
When the story feels like it needs to be told, I feel a sense of excitement to be part of telling it; that’s what usually draws me into a project. Whether it’s theater, film, or music, I’m attracted to projects that take me out of my comfort zone and uplift and challenge both myself and the audience. l also like to know about the people I’m working with. I enjoy collaborating with artists who are passionate, share the same vision, and are driven by purpose. I also love working in spaces and on stages where risk is encouraged and underrepresented voices are seen and heard.
A project is worth my voice when it scares and excites me because I know I will work harder, and at the same time, I can feel and anticipate the end result.
“SINCE GUITAR IS MY INSTRUMENT, I WANT TO EMPOWER YOUNG GIRLS AND WOMEN WHO DREAM OF PLAYING THE GUITAR AND WRITING SONGS TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN A GOOD MUSICAL INSTRUMENT TO INSPIRE THE PROCESS OF FULFILLING THEIR DREAMS.”
Marie Gabrielle with young aspiring musicians from The Fret No More Foundation her nonprofit dedicated to placing guitars in the hands of girls ready to find their voice.
The Fret No More Foundation gives young girls access to guitars and creative tools. What made you want to start something like that?
Since guitar is my instrument, I want to empower young girls and women who dream of playing the guitar and writing songs to give them the opportunity to own a good musical instrument to inspire the process of fulfilling their dreams.
At the tail end of the pandemic, when schools were still closed, I was walking to dinner with a friend up Ninth Avenue in the Hells Kitchen section of NYC and noticed a perfectly good guitar on the street in the garbage with only a few cuts and scratches. I could not believe that someone would actually just throw away a good guitar. I immediately thought of a little girl at home having no guitar to practice on during the pandemic because school was closed. My heart was full, and I took the guitar home. The next day, THE FRET NO MORE FOUNDATION was born.
I started spreading my idea and story to some musician friends who played in the studio and on Broadway…By the end of the week, I had a living room filled with Guitars. It happened so fast and is the most rewarding thing I have ever done!
The industry moves fast, but your work feels rooted. How do you stay connected to what matters in your creative process?
Staying connected to what matters in my creative process and staying rooted is intentional. I have to remind myself every day that this is a gift that I am responsible for and its power to move people, to tell stories, and to generate and create memorable moments and connections. The industry and its trends will always be moving, shifting, and evolving along with the many other distractions going on throughout our lives.
For me, it’s so important to take some time every day to center back to myself and practice the guitar, meditate, and reflect on my purpose with gratitude and thanks.
We often talk about ‘luxury for the soul.’ What does that idea mean to you personally?
Luxury for My Soul would be a 2-hour massage followed by a relaxing Jacuzzi on a Mega Yacht in the Amalfi Coast surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and breathing in the fresh air around Sardinia. And keeping that peace alive in my spirit every day.
If a young woman picked up her first guitar today, what would you most want her to know?
You look so Beautiful with that guitar!
Have fun, and don’t be afraid of the power you possess. Follow your Heart…Because you can do and accomplish whatever you want in this life. And Call me. I’m always here to help.
Marie Gabrielle is currently in the studio, pouring new stories into her next album, and in pre-production for a powerful documentary she penned on The History of Women and Guitar. Her passion for uplifting the next generation continues through The Fret No More Foundation, a bilingual platform in English and Spanish that places guitars into the hands of young girls ready to find their voice. Her latest album, Restless Angel, is available on all major streaming platforms. To follow her journey and explore more of her work, visit www.mariegabrielle.net.
