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Music is universal, and it has the capacity of evoking strong emotional responses from people all over the world. Regardless of where you come from, there is music that can relate to you or you can enjoy. Especially as it pertains to upcoming artists.
Mandell is one of those new artists breaking through the scene. He is an American recording artist, songwriter and designer, whose dream had always been to make music. In fact, he was born and raised in Detroit but moved to Atlanta to pursue music.
“For as long as I can remember, music has been in my heart.” Mandell shares. “I’ve never been a morning person, so music was the thing that got my day going. It’s my little cup of coffee.”
Back in 2017, Mandell met songwriter Thaddeus J, at a mixer in Atlanta. He randomly started telling Mandell that he should sing and that he’d help him with his first song. This was amazing, as Thaddeus J had never heard Mandell’s voice before.
“It’s so crazy how things happen. Around that time, my desire to sing and entertain was at an all time high. The night before the mixer, I prayed for guidance and a sign to pursue a music career. Then the very next day a stranger encourages me to sing. That was the sign I needed to begin my journey as an artist.” Mandell recounts.
The idea of love and it’s portrayal in music has always fascinated Mandell. He loves music that evokes a strong emotional response and aims to do that with his music. His debut single “Found Love”, which he co-wrote, was released on January 26th 2018.
As a kid, Mandell earned the nickname Radio, since he used to sing almost every song that came on. But before he pursued music head on, he actually had been working for years as a bank manager.
Moreover, Mandell knew that in order to realize his dream, a system of financial sustenance and support would be critical. Accordingly, he decided to use his experience having been a manager at one of the largest financial institutions in the world, to become an entrepreneur.
“I decided to start an underwear line for which I sketch my own designs.” Mandell says. “I also started a record label called New Heights Entertainment, LLC. The revenue generated from these business endeavors have played a key role in funding his music career.”
At the beginning of these ventures, Mandell faced various challenges. The fear of the unknown was one of them, since when you work on your business you put time, energy and money not knowing how it will turn out.
Because of this, Mandell sees fear as an enabler that crushes dreams, stifles creativity, diminishes experiences and prevents success. It can be an all-consuming comfortable place to rest, but Mandell understands that we must remember that in the end fear is self-inflicted.
“Mindset is a critical piece to starting a business. You have to be focused, determined, motivated, persistent, and have the ability to think outside the box.” Mandell advises. “For anyone looking to start a business or brand, I would advise to choose something you are passionate about. Something you can do every single day even if you did not make a dime.”
Once you find this something, Mandell suggests creating a plan to monetize it. He also recommends looking at some of your favorite brands and seeing how they market. Marketing is very important and Mandell recommends devoting most of your budget to it.
Mandell knows about this not just as a recording artist, but as an entrepreneur. In 2015, after a near death experience, he started his first business as a designer. For him, facing his own mortality put a lot of things into perspective.
“Most of my life I helped corporations build and strengthen their brands and I finally came to the realization that I would likely never be the CEO of those companies. So I began my journey to entrepreneurship.” Mandell states.
Now with the underwear business and his record label New Heights Entertainment, Mandell can take the time to think about success. For him, success derives from the satisfaction you receive knowing you’re striving to be your best self. It is knowing that you add value to anything you engage in.
“Success overall is an attitude. Charts might tell me that fans are connecting with my music, but if I can’t say I put my best into it, I won’t feel that satisfaction.” Mandell says.
This differentiates Mandell from his competition. He really is just doing it for the music. He is not seeking validation, clout or social media likes. He simply wants to connect with people and evoke emotions.
“If I can touch one person with every song, I feel like I’ve done my job.” Mandell adds “There’s always someone going through something. When they can relate to your music, it’s almost like a therapy session. It’s my way of telling them they aren’t alone.”
Mandell is currently wrapping up production on his EP “Broken Vinyl.” He plans to release it this summer, but in the meantime, his first single “I.T.I.L.Y. (I Think I Love You)” is available on all platforms. Mandell is looking forward to directing the music video for his next single and continuing to share his creativity with the world.
Check his music out here!
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