Interview: Alanna Royale is all about the good R&B vibes

When you hear Alanna Royale‘s “Run Around,” you feel the rush of wild romance flushing your skin. It’s a euphoric experience, as the singer rides a groovy R&B wave. “I’m high with you by my side / Body shivers in the summertime / I let your hand slip into mine ’cause it feels right,” sings Royale, airy and light. The song, co-written with Kelly Finnigan, pays homage to the classics like Diana Ross with its funkadelic keys and trembling bass guitar. It’s electrifying to the touch.

While she didn’t have any throwback tracks in mind while working out “Run Around,” she did find her voice naturally leaning in Ross’ direction. “As we got closer to finishing cutting the vocals it became clear that this is my baby Michael/Diana homage,” Royale tells B-Sides & Badlands. “I’ve got this Diana Ross impression that I love doing around the house. I think something seeped in permanently.”

Emotionally, Royale presses “Run Around” with pink pastels, letting her voice drape around the melody. Fitting to its genre, it packs on the smolder. “There was a time I was hanging out with a guy who made me feel unlike anyone else had ever made me feel. I didn’t know what we were doing but I knew it was something legit,” she shares. “My roommate was sure that he was not into me and that I was bound to get my heart broken by someone who was not on the same frequency as me. She told me to cut and run. I decided to call it for myself and I ended up being right! This guy was very much into me but even if he wasn’t, I still had to see that feeling through. I was completely willing to open myself to the hurt in exchange for those moments of good and that was a real gamble. That shit takes guts.”

“I run around with you / I waste my time with you / I know what they’re saying,” she twirls on the chorus, piano thumping in the mix. “I don’t wanna hear it / I wanna be with you / I wanna feel the rush of every single touch.”

For the accompanying music video, which she directed, Royale hits up a skating rink with her friends. It was one of those no-brainer creative decisions. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. “This song just sounds like a roller rink,” she says. “It sounds like holding hands or sitting close to someone on a park bench. There used to be an under-18 nightclub inside a roller rink I lived near as a kid, and when I tell you the anticipation of going in was too much! [This song] gave me the same feeling.”

As her first solo directing project, it was a crash course into filmmaking. “I learned that you can just keep making shit and getting better as you go. I felt so confident about what we got on film, and when I turned the footage in to Joshua [Shoemaker, video editor], he gave me some insightful tips for the next project I do. There’s always room for growth. I’m no pro, but I can’t let that stop me from doing dope things with my friends. I also learned that not everyone is as willing to roller skate on camera as I would have previously imagined.”

“Run Around” anchors a forthcoming record, Trouble Is, expected in October.

Below, Royale discusses following her guts, the new album, and lessons learned in Nashville.

Are you always one to follow your gut instincts in life?

So glad we’re talkin guts now! I think I follow my gut instincts but I don’t think I’m always right. I just kind of try and navigate as clearly as I can and that means a lot of mistakes and a lot of learning. Lucky for me, my gut instinct these days is to humble myself.

Is there a downside to following your instincts?

Oh. Yeah. I always try to move with the best of intentions but I’m human after all. I’m also a hyper-aware and vigilant person so I get to languish in my decisions and recount my every move until I know how things shake out.

How do you not let your emotions get the best of you in these situations?

Honestly, I’ve worked really hard to build a deep well of empathy over the years and (probably to my detriment) I try to always see two sides. Also, my inner circle is full of folks that have no problem calling me out – even if I did lose myself, they would yank me by the neck all the way back to reality.

How does the rest of the album feel, sonically?

I’d say there’s a warm classic R&B sound that gives way to something more modern that shines through whether it’s found within the vocal or a more psychedelic guitar. I had the opportunity of working with some brilliant string arrangers, and that really shifted the overall feel for me from an album of songs to something deeper to get lost in. Then we break those songs up with more sparse production that pulls from a post-disco era. I really kind of let go at certain points and let this thing steer itself. It felt super natural.

With your recent speaking engagement at a Sanders rally, do you find we’re living in a day and age when artists have to take a stand, whatever the cause might be?

I know that I personally wish more artists would feel comfortable and confident speaking on issues that they care about,, but I don’t think all artists feel the pressure to be outspoken or visible. I don’t know what that feels like though because if I’m gonna do one thing it’s open my mouth and say exactly what I feel. Sadly, we live in a perpetual state of crisis in this country and it can feel like it’s just never enough despite your best efforts. Being an artist is already incredibly taxing so anyone who takes on the work of education, fundraising, or civic engagement is a fucking superhero.

Speaking of which, how did your speech go?

It was a deeply moving experience, and I think the speech went over pretty well – thank you for asking! It felt pretty surreal being amongst not only Senator Sanders but Rev. William Barber, TN Rep Justin Jones, and so many other powerful figures. I felt something deep in my spirit during Rev. Barber’s speech. It was an honor to receive his message.

Being in Nashville for a decade, what are the toughest lessons you’ve had to learn?

I was just discussing this with a band I know and I would definitely say the concept of hiring “players” instead of being in a traditional band structure took me a long time to get comfortable with and then even longer to enact it with healthy boundaries. I’ve also had to learn to say “I can’t make that” without feeling like an asshole. This city makes you friends with everyone and you can’t be everywhere at all times.

Would you change anything?

I’d like to say no but if someone sent me back in time and said I could have taken advice from my first lawyer then who knows what I’d end up choosing. I also would have forced myself to get comfortable with co-writing as soon as I got here. I really held off on that (from my own insecurities) and now it’s really hard!

What’s the best moment of the last 10 years?

Wow, ok, that’s almost impossible to answer but I will say off the top of my head, sitting backstage with Lee Fields at a theater in Georgia and hearing his stories. His wins and losses but also some insight into his performance mindset. Also, seeing my records spin on turntables across the world never, EVER gets old.

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