Meet David Smith of Stage Name: Novél Music Label: 10th Cloud

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Smith.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve always had a love of music. As a child, I was exposed to many different genres of music; from Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, to Queen, Bon Jovi, and Elton John. I remember waking up every morning listening to jazz on the radio; Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis. I even performed in opera’s as a child at Baltimore’s Lyric Opera House Downtown. I honestly didn’t get into hip-hop until later on, and that started with Outkast. All of this is why, when you listen to my music, it has so many different sounds. Each song has a different unique sound, influenced by the many genres that I’ve been exposed to throughout my life.

My music career started with poetry. Rap is rhythm and poetry. Poetry was an outlet for me to express my ideas, emotions, and creativity. Over time, my poems became lyrics. After graduating college, I was able to save enough money to buy basic studio equipment; which, as cliche as it may be, was promptly set up in my mother’s basement. A few youtube beats later, I had my very first mixtape.

Though I was developing as an artist and MC, I always thought something was missing. This missing piece, production. I’ve always had the desire to be a music producer but lacked the patience and resources to learn a program such as Logic or FL Studio. Luckily for me, I live in the greatest technological age in the history of mankind! I found an app called Music Maker Jam. This app single handedly changed my life forever. It allowed me to produce music using loops created from any genre I could imagine. I began to produce full-length albums, all from my Samsung Galaxy. Now, I have over fifteen projects all produced with this single app. (I eventually upgraded and got the desktop version, it’s pretty cool)

The last step in this master plan was owning a music label; enter 10th Cloud. 10th Cloud represents music (and a lifestyle) made to elevate individuals to another level, (not cloud nine but, the 10th Cloud). I look for artists who have a positive message done in a creative and innovative way. I look for all types of artists. My goal is to keep building a roster of artists known for our innovation, influence, and most importantly, our message.

Currently, I have five albums on all streaming platforms

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A smooth road to success does not exist. A big roadblock was simply understanding this concept. Now, I embrace challenges. I enjoy overcoming obstacles because they make me stronger.

Stage Name: Novél Music Label: 10th Cloud – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from others?
My Company is 10th Cloud. We are a music label founded in Baltimore Md. We specialize in the promotion, distribution, and coaching of artists looking to get their start in the music industry. We look for artists who have a passion for music; who are serious about taking their career to the next level. We also look for artists who have a positive, upbeat message. We do not wish to promote certain themes in our music, such as excessive violence and drug use. We are known for being a family of unique artists who all have something different to offer.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment was fully producing and rapping on an album, “Stories From Nirvana”. It has always been a dream of mine to self produce an entire album, it was surreal making that come true.