We recently connected with Telia Lambey and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Telia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

Truth be told, The kindest gesture is when someone gives support, recognition, and/or say’s an encouraging word in our direction. This is a hard industry to crack; especially coming out of a lil crack in the living land home of the streets of ENY as an independent woman ran business.

So when anyone genuine crosses our path and give a gesture of support whether it’s to actually support our brand, make a purchase of our products, stream/download our music, or even do an interview as acknowledgement of our works.

To express further we are from the concrete jungle, we are in a pot of a million to 1 and the odds of us rising as an independent label are slim to none. There are so many people doing what we do so everyone is trying to get to the next level, so even when you have talent if your great at what you do and people can not use you for their agenda’s they really aren’t going to try to elevate you. It’s unfortunate but the New York reality. We get a lot of our support from people out of town that do not even know us. So it makes us that much more appreciative when someone supports our work. It’s not a single or individual story we have but the folks that have on any capacity given time, energy, money to the support of D’Bold Records is the kindest thing anyone has ever done. Thank you

Telia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an ambitious motivated female with an independently ran Record Label . I was intrigued about the culture moving from San Diego, California as a teenager. I was introduced to the culture just being raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. but more personally I had a big cousin who was a producer that use to do music out of his room. I got my music awareness for Hip-Hop, and House music mixes and blends. I had one cousin on one end of the house producing Hip-Hop & RnB and on the other end DJ Don mixing classic old school tunes and House Music blends. I wanted to be a part of these worlds and loved the music and started my initial phases of writing music from these beginnings.

I later went on to be in a duo female rap group, and then to a solo artists D’Boldiss. I got the name from my grandma Jack the one person who wholeheartedly believed in and support my music endeavors. She taught me from young to learn the business, copyright my songs, and sign contracts. I got my first pay out in the industry after years of doing music, writing for artist, on different projects and being on many complimentary projects. I was asked to record a Hip-House Tune in the early 2000’s when I wasn’t so keen on being introduced as a Hip-House artists for a payment for the recording, my writing credits and points on the project. So I did the project while being 8 months pregnant because I needed the money. I did the project and never thought of it again until I was sent a check from ASCAP almost 1 year later for the song. I keep getting payments for this song and was later asked about the song being a part of a Soap Opera “All My Children”. This is when I learned later that the song was on top lists all around the globe. I was happy to receive the money of course but didn’t really embrace the merits because I never felt that it was my best work or the best representation of me as a recording artists. However, it’s really up to the world and fans to receive you how and where they see fit.

I later, went on to start my own label DBold Records where I did an EP Back with A Vengeance to put the music out there as a Hip-House artists with songs that fit my today brand and personality. In the process of all of this I have been working with talent for years and decided to let my daughter Isis-Imon be the 1st artists off the label that was developed here. Since she has grown into a strong component as she is now the Vice President of the label.

What set’s us apart is our abilities to work every aspect of our business. Both leaders have grown from the bottom and have hands on done everything required to produce music, develop artists and put out content. We have the tools and skills needed to make good artist great and we have developed a strong team that has the same ethics when it comes to the love of real music and artists development which is lacking in todays industry. No, one has time for it or even can afford it for the most part. So what’s happening, the industry is supporting trends, and factory made artists which works for the fast past right here and right now however, we will only have to wait and see if it develops authenticity and longevity. This is what we base our brand off of and are most proud of!

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

I wish I knew how important marketing and promotion were early on and research and development. I would have spent less money on individuals and branded my company more. I have learned that artists will come and go but if you are who you say you are, this will never be a problem so it’s important that people know your brand because it won’t matter who you are working with, if you are developing them they will be of quality.

Your brand has to survive with or without acts so you have to develop services that will be useful and generating income.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

The lesson I had to learn plays off the above question. Build your brand! We have had many artists, producers, dj’s come and go throughout the journey. It’s nothing wrong with this everyone isn’t geared to be at the finish line but, what’s important is that you are able to keep going to cross over when they decide to drop off.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dboldrecords.com
• Instagram: @dboldrecords
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/p/D-Bold-Records-100063565736971/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DBoldRecords
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-0jtnAkrLaTKIw_5gM6q4Q
• Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/dbold-records-new-york

Image Credits
Jonathan Arevalo Vandyke Williams-Anbeter Photo