Ruth Royall: Self-Releasing After Having a Baby, Setting Boundaries & Why Your Boldest Move Might Be Going It Alone
Today I'm joined by Ruth Royall, a Bristol-based vocalist, DJ, and producer. After years of working with labels and managers, Ruth made the boldest move of her career: self-releasing her debut album Queen - a record that steps outside drum and bass into garage, breaks, and dubstep - just after having her first child.
We get into what it really means to go independent, how a serendipitous backstage conversation changed the course of her career, and how she built a fully choreographed live show with a three-piece horn section from the ground up.
We also go deep on the stuff that doesn't get talked about enough - anxiety, boundaries, social media addiction, and why the artists winning right now aren't waiting to be a finished product before they put themselves out into the world.
This episode is for any artist who's been waiting for permission, from a label, a manager, or themselves, to just go and make the thing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Going independent forces self-belief: When every decision lands in your lap, you're forced to back your own instincts. Ruth says she regrets not doing it sooner - the growth has been faster than anything she experienced working with labels.
- Play is productive: A full day of experimenting without a finished result isn't wasted. The information you gather becomes the fuel for the next session when it all clicks into place quickly.
- Your sound will come: Don't wait until you're a finished product before putting yourself out into the world. Authenticity develops through output, not planning.
- Boundaries are a business strategy: Setting clear limits on your time and availability isn't weakness, it's what allows you to sustain a long career without burning out or quietly resenting everyone around you.
- Boredom is where creativity lives: The dopamine loop of social media is engineered by the best-paid psychologists in the world. Silence, a walk without headphones, is still one of the most powerful creative tools available.
- Content as artistic extension: Ruth's Queen album rollout bespoke crowns made by artists across Europe, a Bristol nail salon pop-up, multiple queen alter-egos, shows how visual storytelling can deepen the world around your music without compromising its integrity.
BEST MOMENTS
Make the thing. Just make the thing. Whatever it is. Don't wait for somebody to tell you if it's good or not.
I was at a point just before the project where I wasn't really that sure if I wanted to continue as an artist. Going independent came along at the right time - and also the wrong time.
I kind of regret not doing it earlier. It's given me so many new skills, just in the way I work with my team and with other people.
Being bored is when the most creativity happens. Going for a walk without your headphones seems quite daunting - and then you end up thinking through things you probably haven't for a while.
It's taken me 34 years to feel confident enough to set boundaries. But when you give people a parameter, they really respect it.
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ABOUT THE HOST
Lex Luca is a London-based DJ, producer, and tastemaker, known for his infectious energy both behind the decks and in the studio. With releases on Snatch!, Nervous, and his own label In Tune, Lex has garnered support from industry heavyweights like Pete Tong, Annie Mac, and Claude von Stroke. A former BBC Radio 1 producer, he brings a wealth of experience to his craft, delivering a unique blend of house, disco, and techno that has taken him from London to Ibiza and beyond. Lex founded OpenDAW Songwriting camps, bringing together independent musicians to collaborate. And now, as the host of OpenDAW Talks, Lex shares his journey and insights with the next generation of music creators.
CONNECT & CONTACT
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Email: hello@opendawtalks.com
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