Letting Go and Going Up
an Interview with Keri Noble
by Leah Metz
Photograph by Rhea Pappas
In a darkened auditorium, a woman of courage and poise filled the air with melodic compositions so riveting that the entire audience seemed to hold their breath. Using a combination of classic chords backed by powerful vocals and mesmerizing lyrics, Keri Noble captivated the audience that had gathered to celebrate the Japanese release of her third album last fall. The passion in her voice showed me that that this woman contains the spirit, self-assurance, and mold breaking personality for which so many of us strive. And most beautiful of all was how she treated the piano as if it were a friend who knew all her secrets.
Growing up, Keri’s father was a Spanish-speaking pastor who moved his family around frequently as he changed congregations. This experience opened Keri’s eyes to diversity at a young age. “It was more of a cultural experience because the church where my father preached was primarily Spanish and my school was predominantly black, so that diversity really helped shape me,” commented Keri insightfully.
Like many pastor’s kids, Keri participated in church choir and began taking piano, which she continued to study for eight years, jumpstarting her love for music. This love came full circle after Keri attended three years of community college and decided not to finish so she could concentrate on her music. Now Keri calls Minneapolis home and comments that even though she loves to travel, it’s nice to have a place to which she can return and feel comfortable.
Before talking to Keri I would have never known the importance of the two simple words that make up her album title, “Let Go”. The stereotypical vision of women that has been implemented in our society would lead many, including myself, to assume that she was letting go of a relationship with a guy. However during the course of the concert Keri jokingly let us know that even though this not the case, she hoped people thought so. Her eyes lit up mischievously as she shared with the audience that her process of moving on and letting go concerned a different sort of break up, one between her and EMI records, the producers of her first album.
“The industry is still full of so many men and they think that they understand you more then they do,” Keri commented. Keri experienced a strong push from fans and the industry to be someone she was not and felt as if the record company wanted her to “fit into the helpless role of a little girl,” one who lacked the assertive and confident, yet tender characteristics that make Keri who she is. This typecast role of a damsel in distress required Keri to sing ballads about love and heartbreak.
These characteristics, along with the perceptions men have created about her to make themselves into her “protector,” did not fit with who she really felt that she was. Fortunately these stereotypes didn’t seem to faze Keri much, or at least she didn’t let on that they did. She is strong and confident, eyes sparkling with anticipation of the upcoming show, Keri’s demeanor and charismatic personality is what let me know that she was in the music business to stay.
Now, six months after that initial meeting, Keri is embarking on a tour to promote her new EP, “Leave Me in the Dark”. She’ll be playing to audiences in the Midwest and East Coast this summer, under a new label: Telarc International.
“I’m so completely excited about being in the Telarc family,” she said. “I feel supported and valued, which is a wonderful thing as an artist.” Although she’ll spend the summer away from home, the tour represents a different kind of homecoming: that of a gifted musician finding success. And fitting, considering that Keri found a home the first time she sat down at the piano to write music. “I realized that writing songs and being musical makes me create and feel understood and helps me understand myself. That’s what makes me come alive.”
Published July 3, 2008. All rights reserved.