Page 65 - JanFeb 2024 ION Indie Magazine
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Revealing the second Alanna. “I'm the boss, I have to communicate with so
many people about so many different things,
such as my label, radio, PR, everything. I need
my brain to be in a good position, and if I open
Looking at Alanna Royale’s platform before my phone right away and start looking at
she released her debut album Achilles in everything, I start to spin out. I cannot get a
2014, dropping teasers in her EP Bless Her hold of anything.”
Heart in 2013, her sound and style has grown
much fuller and mature. Even singers and artists struggle with the
information overload and choice fatigue
“I finally have my third record out and I'm cellphones present to the human brain every
getting to play the songs I want to play,” day, but Alanna Royale shared her tips to
Royale said. “The Trouble Is album cover avoid the screen and how she still finds
features two Alanna's, and that’s because inspiration in a tech-driven society.
these two entirely different versions of myself
are trying to learn to live together while they “Reading is a great way for me to sit down and
are going through good times, bad times, ups, be quiet, and not have a screen in front of me.
downs, in the spotlight, off stage -- learning to It's also a great form of inspiration for my
live together and move through life together. creative writing, I love to learn new words. I
And I feel like the more I've leaned into not only really want to have one of those painfully
the good sides of myself, but also the sides I pretentious vocabularies. I want to be bringing
know I need to improve, the more liberated I new words and feelings, finding new ways to
feel and the more liberated I can be. The more say the same things.”
I can help others to liberate themselves. I’m
looking forward to taking the show on the road Royale explained that she picked this trait up
and having people experience this record after from one of her college professors while she
working on it for so long, it all makes me very was studying music composition.
excited to bear my soul to my listeners.”
“I had a professor who told me ‘You can only
After three albums, Royale disclosed that she write as many songs as you know’,” Royale
felt she was hiding a piece of herself from her started. “He asked me one day, ‘can you play
listeners, falling into the facade of displaying all your favorite Stevie Wonder songs on
only the bright highlights from her life, omitting piano?’ And I responded, ‘No, I can only play
what stresses her out and her darker days. some.’ And he asked, ‘Can you play all your
She knew she had to write what was real and favorite Beatle songs on guitar?’ And I
put away the societal social media brain. responded, ‘No, only some.’ And he explained,
‘you can only write as many songs as you
“I don't look at any social media at all before know. You need to learn every song that you
11 a.m.,” Royale revealed. “I have to allow my love.’ And I feel the same way with words. I
brain to wake up and get a hold on the day. I have to read other people's stories, and other
have so many different methods of people's lives, and other experiences, and
organization alone, that I try and stay as open my mind up so I can tell as many stories
organized as possible.” and have as many new ideas as possible.
