Meet Royce Hall

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

Hi Royce , so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
I have learned to be effective/successful, even when I’m the only one in the room who looks like me, by first, centering myself, giving thanks and determining my goals and objectives before I enter. I make the choice of operating in authenticity, confidence and good energy with the understanding that I am intentionally created, that everyone in the room with me is also intentionally created, that I am necessary and that I am a vessel of endless power and purpose. I allow this knowledge to guide me through how I engage with other people in this room and I listen to them.

Additionally, I believe in the power of my very existence. I shine my light. I remain present once I am in the room. I remind myself that I deserve to be in there and what I carry with me is priceless. This is not only motivating but creates opportunities for great conversations with the individuals in this room with me which unveils the differences among strangers but also amplifies our commonalities and desired missions and intentions. This is how community is established. This is how relationships are built. This is how connections are made. This is how ideas are brought to fruition. This how is we foster and nurture something larger and greater than the very room we are in. This is how I become effective, successful and remembered.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
By day/night, I am the Concert Manager at City Winery Atlanta. My day to day consists of a fast-paced professional environment where I am immersed in the entertainment/music industry from the legalities of contracts to ensuring superior artists care experiences, thorough communication with involved parties and all aspects of functionality and operations that guarantee a successful concert. In my position, structure, attention to detail, great work ethic, time management and sensitivity, emotional intelligence and awareness, compassion, professionalism, teamwork and immediate yet careful actions are key behaviors and attributes that are essential to my productivity which impacts not only our Atlanta location but all of them.

Being that my job is also in alignment with my work and mission as an artist, I am able to apply a heightened sense of awareness, care, warmth and understanding to each artist/artist crew that plays our venue. This level of understanding allows for relatability, our artists to feel comfortable at our establishment and to know that they have a sincere advocate for not only their artistry but most importantly their humanity. This is a skillset rooted in kindness. Lastly, as it relates to my job, each day I learn something new about the entertainment business. This knowledge is essential and priceless on many levels.

When it comes to my art, I create in order to save lives and open minds. I travel a number of avenues to do so, be it as a recording artist, singer/ songwriter, spoken word artist, lyricist, actor, screenwriter, author, photographer or sketch artist. I rely on honesty in self-expression and advocacy through art to discover and foster intersectionality, nurture safe and brave spaces for other LGBTQIA+ artists and youth, discuss the importance of healing and liberation, amplify the voices of underserved and disenfranchised communities, highlight social justice/political concerns, and so much more. Telling our stories is our duty on the path to liberation as well as collective progress so I hope I encourage others to do so as well. Our shared experiences are our legacies.

I love that my path is in sync! When it comes to my artistic background, as an actor, I can be seen as a lead character or series regular in stageplays and series/films such as Zora! Let the People Sing, Beyond Betrayal, Lying In Bed, See Me, Seen, Refracted Reflections, Eden’s Garden, A Trip, Only Girl In The World and much more. Since the completion of volume one of my sophomore EP series, ‘FIFTH: Dapper Liberation’, songs such as ‘Blue In June’, ‘My Air’ and ‘So Much’ are winning the hearts of listeners near and far, on the appropriately titled “VISHUDDHA” EP (the fifth/throat chakra), which represents vocal expression. Not to mention, my single, “Front Porch Love”, is finding a home on the airwaves of Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Adult Contemporary R&B radio stations, globally. Over the years, my infectious live performances, and 46-2 MC battle record, have afforded me opportunities to open for artists such as Janelle Monae, Talib Kweli, The Floacist of super-duo Floetry, KRS One, K. Michelle, Donnell Jones, MuMu Fresh and many others. My matrimony of words and sounds is an undeniable experience that draws my audience to me. This gift has awarded me a feature as one of nine nationally selected spoken word artists featured in Center Theatre Group LA’s “Not A Moment But A Movement: Black Nourishment” production in 2021. As a screenplay writer, I am preparing for production of my first film, “The Box In The Corner”. As a writer, my third book of poetry, “The Window Pane: A Reflection of Introspection Through Love, Lessons and Liberation”, was released in 2022. Additionally, so far, I have been awarded Black Trans Advocacy Rising Star, Muzzle Film Fest for Best Actor in a short film, Delta International Film Fest Best Actor, GA Voice Best of Atlanta (Live Performance Artist) award recipient and much more. Most recently, I was a featured guest on Jill Scott’s J.ill: The Podcast. At FAMU (Florida A & M University), I majored in Animal Science/Pre Vet Medicine and minored in Music. I have several new projects that I am ecstatic to release! I share all of this to say to the reader: GO FOR IT!! DO IT!!! DO WHAT IS DIVINELY PLACED IN YOUR HEART AND SOUL TO DO!! BE PRESENT WITH YOUR GIFTS AND UNWRAP THEM!! YOU ARE NEVER GIVEN A VISION WITHOUT PROVISION!! THE WORLD NEEDS YOU!! DON’T GIVE UP ON YOURSELF OR YOUR DREAMS! SHINE YOUR LIGHT!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
When I look back, three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful on my journey are respecting when I need to rest, remembering who I am and healing. Being true to my voice and expression is the core of who I am. If I am not feeding and nurturing this, I am not serving my purpose. If I am not respecting both silence and sound, I am not aware of my purpose. If I am not actively healing, I am not fully available for my purpose.

Also, I have found that staying connected to your youthfulness and childlike bravery and healing your inner child will provide you the confidence to live in your truth and the essence of who you are. It will allow you to harness challenges and conquer them. I have learned that routine self-care activities restore our energy. I have discovered that exploring life gives us a playful approach when navigating life’s uncertain moments. BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF. Give yourself grace. Give yourself growth and expansion. Stretch and shake off the shackles that the world often places on us. Once we free ourselves, we spread absolute peace and love to others. Those are languages that translate universally and allow us to be our best selves.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My mom has been and is most helpful in helping me overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities, and knowledge I need to be successful. I must also mention additional inspirations such as the memory of my grandparents, son and my uncle Eddie, the revolutionaries whose shoulders I stand on a well as Queen Latifah, Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, Janet Jackson, Denzel Washington and Janelle Monae who serve as lights along my journey to stand firmly in my mission as an artist en route to being a consummate multi-hyphenate mogul and liberator. Dr. Nikki Giovanni is also a great source of inspiration.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Photos 1, 2 & 6- Tajir Hawkins Photo 3- Michael Justice Photos 4& 5- Ira Carmichael Photo 7- DiiJaii Rambeau Photo 8- iElevate + TV

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