Global star Gavin Turek Brings Us Debut Album ‘Madame Gold’ Featuring Brilliant Single “Hero“
After bouts of self-doubt, discouragement from the music industry, and feelings of helplessness amidst the numerous global crises of the last year, Gavin entered the studio to complete the much-anticipated project and ended up creating a truly powerhouse tour de force of modern R&B.
Tapping into the power that comes from vulnerability and taking inspiration from badass divas like Grace Jones and Diana Ross, 70s soul icons like Curtis Mayfield and the Isley Brothers, and modern day pioneers like Tame Impala and Raphael Saadiq, Gavin’s sound is an honorable throwback to the past while also undeniably fresh and current in the modern music world. The more contemplative moments on the album capture a completely different side of the songwriter.
Gavins says: “We took a more experimental route while creating the hybrid of soul and pop I’m known for, in order capture the inner transformation that was happening in me. I didn’t want to repeat what I did before.”
Early singles “Illusions” and “Slide” (feat. bLAck pARty) garnered praise from Stereogum who praised the former as a “blissed-out love song”, and KCRW who called the latter “a perfect fit for your weekend on the boardwalk, or late-nite cruising down the boulevard.”
Together with the Album, it is out now a film video for single “Hero”, which Gavin says “tells the origin story of my alter ego Madame Gold, through a cinematic lens. At the height of the pandemic, I found myself depleted and discouraged, unsure how to move forward. One fateful day, I tuned in for an “artist talk” given by one of my favorite visual artists, Renee Cox. Her work and encouraging words were exactly what I needed to be reminded of who I was: a hero. Conceptually and creatively directed by myself and brilliantly directed by Josh Sondock, the HERO music film is meant to inspire people, especially women who feel lost and out of touch with their personal strength, to become their own heroes and save themselves instead of waiting for someone else.”
The result is an eclectic, pristine, and cathartic unveiling of an artist truly coming into her own — be it on “Whisper” (a futuristic take on personal faith that includes a heartwarming interview snippet with Gavin’s mother), “Hero” (a certifiable bop about leaning into your own personal strength), or “Elevator” (which Refinery29 called the “perfect soundtrack for a fresh start”).
