Rainbow Blonde Records Predicts Music’s Future

José James and Talia Billig could have pursued further stardom with the big music labels. But their artistic careers are about more than just making money.

For the past four years, they have been identifying, mentoring and developing young indie musicians on an upstart recording label that has broken with the industry’s traditional way of operating.

Billig and James say their RBR label was born of a deep desire to counter what they see as the scarcity model of the music business.

“We began RBR based on who we are and how we wanted the world to be,” Billig told OZY.

I first listened to — and truly heard — José James in 2011. Alongside his own stunning string and vocal solos and riffs, he gives his band members their spotlight and their due. James is a leader and a musician who blends and bends genres. His seventh album, “Love in a Time of Madness,” released in 2017, presented him as the musical chameleon he had always been, as well as a teacher and social critic who is unafraid to name the fundamental injustices of American life. His co-lyricist on that album’s single, “To Be with You,” was Talia Billig.

Known artistically as Taali (her familial nickname), Billig first touched piano keys at age six, and so began her musical calling. She worked for Blue Note Records, then in 2012 created The Orchard Sessions in her New York apartment, where she sang with James as well as Snarky Puppy, Becca Stevens and Luke Temple. (The volumes can be heard here.)

When vocal cord issues silenced her voice, Billig wrote lyrics for James, Mali Music and Aloe Blacc, among others. After surgery, pairing her vulnerability with an expanded vocal range, she wrote “Los Angeles,” a song that’s simultaneously heavy-hearted and hopeful, inspired by her move to that city. From there it was on to multiple albums, a Grammy nomination and, eventually, co-founding Rainbow Blonde Records.

Today, there are essentially three animals in the record business: the major label and their subsidiaries, and the independents. The independent label is, by definition, the riskiest. Relative to a big company, the smaller enterprise lacks distribution channels and access to cash. The founders of an independent label need as much courage as creativity, as much chutzpah as focus, and a team of experienced, insightful, get-their-hands-dirty type folks.

As shown over time, independents produce and distribute loads of music titles, yet make up a fraction of industry sales. Historically, independent labels have been genre-specific and directed releases at their already loyal audiences. Today, Rainbow Blonde Records distinguishes itself from the traditional companies, and some indies, with a new paradigm: without limitations, without fear of being dropped, an agreement based exclusively on creation.

Besides providing autonomy to artists, RBR offers operational support and structure for collaboration. The wisdom of RBR, says James, comes from the community they’ve developed: “Sitting down, talking things through, exploring ways to ensure career longevity.”

Conventional labels, says Billig, rely on artists’ creativity and their physical bodies to make money. But the body grows tired, and the creative well can dry up. RBR, however, is a culture in which artists are identified, helped and, in James’ words, “made lifelong earners based on their own creativity.” Lifelong earners, he said, use crowdfunding as a revenue model, appear wherever they may be (at home, outside, in studio or onstage) and share their work when the work is ready — not when someone tells them it must be ready.

“The work — making the actual album — results in 100% of the artist’s vision without interference,” said James, who added that this method, “lets everyone, myself included, make the work.”

Both Billig and James had extensive experience working for other artists in lyrical and musical composition, production and promotion. That they hadn’t received credit for this work — because, at a traditional label, talent is onstage, not backstage — was part of what nudged them towards launching RBR.

At their house, said Billig, “People aren’t in the background, they aren’t undervalued.” And the people said amen.

There’s a strategy applied to this dream space: Bring in artists whose bold work and outlook is worthy of such risk. Grammy-award-winning jazz bassist/singer-songwriter/composer Ben Williams (who left Concord for RBR), pioneering portrait photographer Janette Beckman and business manager Kristin Lee are some of the exceptional creatives who comprise the growing RBR collective.

on The Carlos Watson Show!

James recorded a two-disc live album at Levon Helm Studios, and released “When They See Us” and the long-awaited “No Beginning No End 2.” Hear James’ work on Bandcamp; he’s currently on tour, and new records are in the pipeline.

Billig’s latest album “Is It Right?” will be released in early 2023, while its titular single can be purchased and heard right now. Coming soon is the launch of RBR’s newest signed artist, drummer extraordinaire Jharis Yokley. And you can hear and purchase music from every RBR artist here.

You can invest in this project by helping to fund “Merry Christmas from José James” on vinyl. Check out RBR Bandcamp. Read and hear Talia on Taali Talk. And get word of the latest creations in the RBR newsletter.

What musical artists would you like to see leading their own record companies?

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