We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Royale Michael a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Royale thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been one of the most interesting investments you’ve made – and did you win or lose? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

Best Investment(s): Time, Ownership, & Fatherhood

Last time we spoke I was coming off of an album called “The Prologue” one of my favorite projects of mines. During the entire year I was focused on creating the art and making the magic that every artist gets a thrill from. After releasing “The Prologue” and then “Second Chapter” afterwards, I started studying the ins and outs of the business side of the music industry only to realize that I never set myself up with a legitimate brand. I’ve just been making music for years without actually having knowledge in distribution and market value. When 2020 came and I had my first child, my daughter Eden, it showed me that I needed to have something to pass down to my little girl. It allowed me to see the areas that I was not focused in which were brand profitability, record percentages, and merchandise distribution. I took the next year and a half to figure out what I truly wanted and what would I like to have to leave my mark in this game. It was then late 2020, early 2021, when I decided to build my own recording company.

The best investment I made and will have made is sitting down and coming up with the idea for my own record entertainment company. I truly believe that out of everything that I have worked on and every company I have worked for, none of them compare to the emotions of being your own boss. I invested time in learning the business side of music and now It’s like I’m watching a flower grow in front of my eyes and I am the one person that can keep it alive. It’s a scary, but yet a powerful feeling.

My motivation on a daily basis is knowing that with all of my hard work and dedication this will allow my daughter and her future family to have generational wealth which can be also be looked at as ultimate freedom. This is my overall vision and purpose that I walk with so everyday that I wake up, I smile because I know what my big “WHY” is some like to call it.

I decided to start my own company when I saw so many flaws within the industry, so many artists and producers clashing with A&Rs and record executives over creative control, percentages, and brand image which takes away the real nature of the music when the focus is off the music and just the contracts behind it. I started noticing within the past couple years how the people are yearning for that next new empire to have the spotlight in the music industry, but to do it in a genuine and hard working way. I started studying artists & entrepreneurs like Percy Miller, Michael Jackson, Dr. Dre, Russ, Robert Kiyosaki, Mark Cuban, Berry Gordy and many others. Hearing so many different perspectives from many of these greats in their respective fields allowed me to see that being a boss starts with the mind first then everything else follows. To be a boss you have to be able to start somewhere and after your done starting you have to have the confidence to start the “next thing” then so on and so forth. While we were all dealing with a pandemic over the past couple years I was figuring out how to start and now it’s just been nothing but a domino effect.

Stay tuned for all of the new announcements that I have regarding music and my new company.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

For anyone not familiar with me, my name is Royale Michael and I am an artist and entrepreneur.

I started off writing poetry in middle and high school then eventually started making songs when I got to college. Being in college and being around other creatives allowed me to figure out myself and what I wanted to create and personally bring to the world. Years later and now I have a mixtape and four albums available to listen to. Not only that but I am recognized among my artist peers who respect my work and energy while delivering songs on stage. The journey has been and still is a long one but it feels good knowing that all of the time and energy put in has not been for no reason.

What sets me apart from others is knowing my art and my direction. Being an artist, you tend to sometimes get too caught up in other people’s life, whether that artist is a friend or a celebrity. When I stopped paying attention to everyone else and started looking within myself that’s when everything changed and that’s when I saw myself different than everyone else. The music that I have made over the years has been so powerful and catchy that I still get people till this day that are in love with songs I made a few years ago. To me, this sets me apart from everyone else…..Longevity. Many of my records have replay value which is my insurance forever in this realm. As an artist, if your records have replay value and you have an audience that you can continue to deliver more content to, you are winning. This small but yet powerful ability can guarantee some type of profit for years to come which can also help you maintain longevity in this game.

I am proud of all of the opportunities I have been able to create for myself and others with music but I am MOST proud of all of the songs that I have made and all of the special features I’ve been apart of. Music has connected me with so many unique souls and it’s just a blessing to be able to say that music is the life that I chose.

The main thing to know about me is that I am very persistent as an artist and businessman. If something doesn’t work I am quick to find another solution or something else that can grab the attention of the listener. I have never been afraid to create different sounds and to think outside of the box so I am confident that this mindset will only benefit my own company just like it has benefited me with music over the past years.

Only person in my way is myself.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

The books that have had a huge impact on my entrepreneurial thinking have been:

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
Maximized Manhood by Edwin Louis Cole
All You Need To Know About The Music Business by Donald S. Passman
48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

I have been reading books like crazy the last few years but these books have had the biggest impact on my direction and overall execution with any move I make from now on. If any artist are familiar with any of these titles then trust me you are on the right path. Without spoiling them I will say that each book made me aware of different avenues that I was lacking in my life.

Maximized Manhood taught me how build a family and walk as a God fearing man
Rich Dad Poor Dad taught me the importance of financial education and being your own boss
All You Need To Know About The Music Business continues to teach me about…..The Music Business
48 laws and Think and Grow Rich both taught me to have more control over my reality and deeper secrets behind people’s actions.

All of these books have helped me elevate my mind and has allowed me to be a better creative and boss.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish early in my career that I would have known about talent agents, social marketers, managers, lawyers, and the difference in record companies (independent, small, major)

I didn’t know that there were specific jobs for people in the entertainment field that can help the process of being a creative way easier. I have been playing so many roles within my own artistry which I can’t complain about because it has allowed me to learn so many new things. However, it would have been relieving to know early on what a personal manager can do for artists or what a talent agent can bring to the table for you or what a lawyer can help out with.

To every artist that is reading, never stop learning about your craft and about this business. Too many of “them” love the talent that we bring to the world but “they” hate when we start to learn our worth. As an artist the control is in your hands even if it doesn’t seem that way at first. Remember that

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/royalemichael.ceo/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/royal%C3%A9-michael-8233371a4/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSpxTQ4b1i_PoUVmwlFRGNQ

Image Credits
Photography from Morgan Ryan & Artist Movement