Lady Royale

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24: Lady Royale is an interesting name so can you tell me how did that come about?

Lady Royale: It came about from my in-house production company that I'm signed too and we actually did my first song in the studio which was called "Dirty South Pimpin." The President of the company came in and gave me a name that the company would like for me to have. I saw the paper and it said "Lady Royale," that just fit. It sounded good on the intro on the track so that's how we came up with it [laughs].

24: Talk about your history, where you from and what made you decide to pursue a career in music?

Lady Royale: Actually I'm from Opelousas, Louisiana which is about 45 minutes from Baton Rouge. I've been singing since I was about 3 or 4 growing up in church singing. I've always wanted to sing, because I would always see the different gospel groups and different people singing in church and stuff like that. Just the excitement of watching these people sing and everybody knowing they could sing I would always say I wanted to do something like that. As I got older all the teachers would ask what did I want to be when I grow up and I actually wanted to be a pediatrician. The opportunity came for me to be a singer first and I would say I can always go back to school, but you can't pass off a better opportunity in the entertainment business. Once you get older don't nobody wants to hear you [laughs], so I went ahead and decided to do this first.

24: It's funny you said you wanted to be a pediatrician, because I thought I was going to be a doctor, but look what I'm doing now.

Lady Royale: [Laughs], Well I still have that dream it didn't left or anything I just have it on the back burner. You can always go back to school and take those classes refreshing your mind and stuff like that. I just decided to do music for right now.

24: So I see Lady Royale loves the kids though?

Lady Royale: Of course [laughs], I do, I ain't gonna lie. Some people say that, but I actually do. You know you can be yourself and don't have to worry about somebody your age telling you "Oh no you shouldn't act like this" and stuff like that. They are more acceptable to you and you know they look up to you so that's why I like them.

24: I don't know I use to tutor kids in high school and they can drive you crazy!

Lady Royale: No. I think I get along with them well. My momma had 9 kids. All of us were right up on each other so maybe that's why I like kids. My nieces and nephews were always around me so I don't know [laughs].

24: Out of the nine kids what number were you?

Lady Royale: I was number 8, second to last and I have a little baby sister under me.

24: Talk about some of your musical influences growing up?

Lady Royale: I was always listening to Gospel my father was a preacher. I would say Rick Franklin, The Clark Sisters, and stuff like that. As I got into my teenager years I started listening to Mary J. Blige, Lauren Hill, Erykah Badu, and now I listen to T.I., 50 Cent, I love 50 Cent [laughs], Ludacris but I just like music. I don't think it matters what genre of music it is I just like music, if it sounds good I'm a listen to it.

24: Speaking of some of your favorite male performers you would you like to do a song with out of everybody that's hot right now?

Lady Royale: I don't know, I just like 50 Cent [laughs]. I just like him maybe because everybody else doesn't like him.

24: What was it like getting down with Mike Jones?

Lady Royale: I actually did a song with him called "Tell Me What You Want" which is like a ballad and he did a sixteen on that. It's real nice and actually going to be on the album.

24: So talk about this upcoming project you got coming out?

Lady Royale: The single is coming out called "Do You Like It" featuring Lil Keke from Houston. It's like a dance ballad something you can dance to and listen to lyrical wise. My album will be out in February or March and the album is called "TraxWorld Volume 1" Ft. Lady Royale.

24: The industry is male dominated so can you talk about the toughest things coming up in the game as a woman?

Lady Royale: I don't know if it's tough to me, because with anything you do there is going to be opposition or struggle. I would say a lot of time some people take you for granted, because you're a female as far as being in the industry and knowing certain things. That's why I do a lot of research. I don't think it's a struggle for me. A lot of people say they expect to get over on you and all that, but for me I don't know about all that.

24: I see I hit you with a tough question right there!

Lady Royale: Yeah, but I don't know because I haven't had that struggle as far as being a female.

24: What it is that keeps Lady Royale motivated?

Lady Royale: I would say the kids, because I love kids. A lot of people use their stardom for certain things I want to be able to use that for positive things. I actually had this interview the other day and I was telling how my friend in high school was diagnosed with cancer in the liver and I how I came to support her. I want to use stuff like that to help kids, they might not have cancer or nothing but I'm a support. If I can use my stardom to see somebody and make them feel better that's my whole motivation.

24: Speaking on the whole role model factor do you think it's a good thing a lot of entertainers are role models for kids?

Lady Royale: I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing and I don't think it's by choice. I think some people think "Okay I'm not a role model, because I don't want to be one", but either way it goes someone is looking up to you. It's good to be a role model, but some people have to realize the difference between someone who really wants to be a role model and someone you wants to be an entertainer. I think a lot of times people look at entertainers like they shouldn't say this and that. Entertainers is somebody telling a story whether it's false, true, good, bad, whether you want to hear it or not.

24: Besides the music industry what you like to do for fun?

Lady Royale: [Laughs], for fun I'm into sports. In high school I played like every sport. I would say just exercising or playing sports. A lot of times in my spare time I'm sleeping. If I don't sleep I hibernate. When I have spare time I'm sleeping.

24: So what kind of sports you were playing back in the day?

Lady Royale:  I played volleyball, basketball. I played volleyball, indoor and outdoor track. We won like three championships in track and volleyball MVP all that good stuff.

24: I like volleyball I like to see the girls play at my school.

Lady Royale: Yeah man it's crazy, spiking on somebody head [laughs]. That was the good thing for me I actually played every position in volleyball.

24: Okay so you was running around with them little shorts on huh?

Lady Royale: Yeah little tights, that wasn't my thing but that's what we had to wear [laughs].

24: Final message for readers of 24HOURHIPHOP.COM?

Lady Royale: Look forward to the album "TraxWorld" starring Lady Royale and will be out in the mid first quarter. I got Mike Jones, Lil Keke, and you can get it when it comes out. You can go to my myspace page at www.myspace.com/ladyroyalej7. I would like to thank you Q for interviewing me I really appreciate it.