Raquel Rodriguez was born with a mic in her hand! From the age of 5, the LA native knew she wanted to sing, and is a gifted musician at her core.
The Mexican-American soul singer is in a lane of her own, as she draws inspiration from Prince, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars, to create a smooth balance of 70s funk, 80s synths and 90s R&B.
Her debut album ‘Miss Me’ is a superb old-school effort full of memorable tunes, tight playing and super strong production that references vintage sensibilities without being derivative.
Check out the interview on Sunday 18th November’s Soul Brother Selection.
RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ – MISS ME
Debut full length from LA’s Raquel Rodriguez, ‘Miss Me’ is a superb old-school funky soul album that encompasses a wide span of styles and tempos but works as a unified whole thanks to the tight playing, strong songwriting and Raquel’s confident, natural vocals that shine throughout. The sumptuous ballad ‘Tell Me It’s Fine’ has an Etta James feel, ‘Heaven Sent’ has a warm crossover vibe, the expansive, soaring ‘Come Here’ is a jazzy soul gem while ‘Fool That You Are’ is a classy uptempo dancer. The bluesy, southern groove of ‘Baby It’s You’ is yet another contender for track-of-the-album while the stunning, uptempo ‘Always’ has a killer horn and percussion line running through that really lifts it: this would work in soul clubs the world over! A really strong introduction to this talented lady and her band. Buy the CD | Buy The LP
RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ – THE 310
Six-track EP from LA’s Roquel Rodriguez, the vibe here is very much in the early 80s boogie/soul beat ballad vein. The slick, classy ‘Don’t Be Afraid’ is a laid back groover, ‘Talk of This Town’ is a more urgent dancer that has touches of classic club soul while ‘Sophisticated Lady’ is a funker that draws on influences from Prince to Chaka Khan. ‘Before It’s Too Late’ is a great socio-political observation set to a tough, almost soundtrack backing while the lush ballad ‘You’ve Got Me’ is a stunning slowie. Great stuff! Buy the CD
RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ – THE 310 PART 2
Follow up to the first EP, ‘The 310 Part 2’ finds Raquel Rodriguez developing the sound from the first Volume with a tough, more contemporary boogie groove but with those old-school touches still in effect. Irresistible head nodding beats, slick dancefloor rhythms and those sultry vocals turned up to the max make this unmissable. The banging boogie of ‘Nights Over’ is pure early 80s, the more mellow, summery ‘Mile High’ is a laid back gem while the thumping groove of ‘We Go Together’ is superb. The chilled ‘Anniversary’ is ripe for modern soul playlists while ‘I Want It All’ is a killer slab of soul. Unmissable!
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