Sophia Michaels
Last week, Gabriels was on stage performing “Cinema” with Harry Styles after opening for six nights during his Austin, Texas, residency. Now, the Los Angeles-based trio have made their debut on the Late Late Show with James Corden, delivering a soulfully choreographed performance of “Angels & Queens,” the title track from their newly released debut album.
Led by gospel singer Jacob Lusk, Gabriels violinist Ari Balouzian and keyboardist Ryan Hope created a sonic backdrop for a wide range-spanning performance from their attention-demanding frontman. Accompanied by half a dozen dancers, Lusk delivered a clarity-driven ode to sticking out the hard parts, singing: “When I think of all the things we went through/No matter what, I stayed true/Through the ups and downs, I/Realized all that I needed was you.”
Angels & Queens arrived Sept. 30 as the first of two parts that make up Gabriels’ debut record. The record arrives after the trio spent six years perfecting their collaborative formula, an inspiring process that began when Balouzian and Hope tracked Lusk down at the Compton church he often performed in after they worked on a commercial together.
“Jacob was leading and arranging the choir in a way that made it interesting no matter what the material was,” Balouzian told Rolling Stone last year. “We were recording harmonies and vocal arrangements, and all the other singers in the choir were looking to him for direction. He was coming up with stuff on the spot very quickly.”
Lusk summed out their partnership, explaining: “In the studio, it’s like you have a golden doodle, and English bulldog, and maybe a golden retriever, and they understand each other’s bark language, but no one else knows what the fuck they’re talking about. That same energy happened when they came to the church.”
