Page 59 - JanFeb 2024 ION Indie Magazine

A presence born for the stage.

Trouble Is is Alanna Royale’s third studio album, following So Bad You Can Taste It, and her first
album, Achilles, Royale has a clear gravitation towards big band sounds in the R&B-Soul genre,
but creating a uniquely Royale sound. Alanna Royale has been shaping and toying with her
distinct sound, evolving and perfecting what fits her ever-changing eras in life, since she was a
child, listening to similar bands within the walls of her childhood bedroom.

"That personality was very much born in me, and I would religiously watch Star Search [similar to
The Voice or American Idol today] and was constantly listening to teen pop bands, realizing that
there were kids doing exactly what I wanted to do, and I felt I could do it to,” Alanna Royale smiled.
“I knew I wanted to be the center of attention, it felt right. At a very young age I loved dancing,
singing, musical theater, just being a ham and cutting it up in class, honestly just disrupting all the
children around me. As soon as I realized that I could do what I do and get attention for it, I knew
that was how I wanted to spend my life."

The bands and artists Royale listened to inspired her drive to find a similar sound within her own
career.

“I've always been obsessed with captivating people,” Royale explained. “You know, like, Whitney
Houston, Judy Garland, Madonna, Janet Jackson – people who are undeniably charismatic,
driven, and talented. The way that someone can just capture a room and hold everyone in the
palm of their hands is my obsession; I think it's like the most powerful thing in the world.”

Royale is clearly striving towards that, captivating the crowd every time she gets up on a stage.
One can never expect the same thing from her shows, part of this is due to Royale’s choice to not
have a set band of people to travel with.

“I used to have a set band for a really long time,” Royale began. “I grew up in the world of bands,
where we all write songs together, we all share the money, we all do equal work; that was
something that was drilled into my head since childhood. And then when I got to Nashville, things
changed.”

“In Nashville, people are much more independent, renting out their work in a freelance style, or
only playing select shows,” Royale revealed, “and it's actually great because everyone brings
something different to the table and I can mix up the sound. It's not how my performance style
started with my touring, but it's definitely how it is now! And now, I get to open up my records for
creative opportunities like having one guitarist on a specific feature, or a certain drummer on a
song that really fits their vibe. Now, I'm able to lean into everyone's individual contributions and
strong suits, which ultimately makes the project better and better.”