Like, how does that

work? So as a label, there are many different aspects of having a label, operating a label, owning a label, financing a label.

And what a label is basically on a boutique level for me is just an imprint of where everything happens.

The creation of the music, the scouting of the musicians or producers, the negotiations, the contracts, the legal, the publishing, the admin, all of the things, the mixing, the mastering, the artwork.

The photo shoots, the video shoots, the promotion, the marketing, the PR, publicity, and investing in all of that by hustling.

Hustling means getting your butt on the road or doing certain types of deals that offer an advance.

I haven't accepted any advances.

what advice would you give to them

Do you like pay attention to what's around you to be able to get those moments?

When it comes to the music, you know, there are production partners.

There are also outside producers.

Sometimes I'll have actual music ideas and put it down like in GarageBand.

But then I'll take it to a producer that actually knows music and has an archive of the proper sounds to use.

Not stock sounds that come with the Apple computer.

Yeah.

What is it like having fans? that have been there from the very start? Like, does that feel any type of way to you?

Mm-hmm

... and then also knows other producers, it's a match made in heaven.

What I specialize in, though, is producing my vocals, doing all the recording, the engineering, the stacking of harmonies, the vocal arrangements, the lyrics.

Even if a song is presented, changing the lyrics, crafting the lyrics, adding sections that didn't exist, or even changing the arrangement of the music and chopping that up and putting something in the front that was maybe at the end or whatever it is.

And then I start [laughs] visualizing what it would sound live-

Yeah.

You know, as I'm just always on go, go, go, go, go, thinking about the next thing sometimes, I don't look back enough to be reminded of those things, and they are there to remind me how amazing the, the journey is, but also the victory in it, and also the lessons and the inspiration.

So, I don't forget that, that everything that may happen and often gets processed as either devastation or doubt or uncomfortability, [laughs] um, there's a purpose and probably a big blessing-

What was that like?

It was beautiful.

You know, I got to see him two nights in a row at the O2 in London.

And he had a lot of artists join him.

And I learned a lot just by being there for two nights.

There was a jam session, of course, afterward at the Indigo.

And, of course, the conversation about independency.

So, look, Dr. Umano, when they address us, and they laugh when they talk,

Good morning.

Hey, who out there can get stressed out about money? Raise your hand.

Okay, other than some kids listening in their parents' car, and the odd billionaire, I'm assuming that everyone is raising their hand, because money, [laughs] right.

Except Ally Bank.

With those guys, there are no tricks, no hidden fees, no hidden fine print.

Ally is a bank, and this is kinda crazy, they wanna take care of you and your money.

They've got tools to help you save automatically while you spend.

Breakfast Club, good morning.

God created all of that, and he created you.

Yeah.

And then...

Hey, who out there can get stressed out about money? Raise your hand.

Okay, other than some kids listening in their parents' car and the odd billionaire, I'm assuming that everyone is raising their hand because money, right.

Except Ally Bank.

With those guys, there are no tricks, no hidden fees, no hidden fine print.

Mm-hmm.

You know, how do you get there?

You hit it on the right nail.

You hit it on the nail.

Validation.

So we operate from that place in life, regardless of the industry that we sign up for, to survive, right? Or to fulfill a dream.

And I think when devastation or tragedy strikes a family or an individual, life humbles you really quickly, and then you begin to see through a different lens versus everyone else's lens around you that are defining everything for you.

That beauty, the success, it may just be numbers and technicalities versus, "Does this feel right? Am I changing someone else's life? Are they impacted by my lyrics, or is this just aesthetics right now and marketability because I'm a teenager," et cetera.

You know, it-