Hidden Gems: Meet Malek Mayo of Free Angel Studios

Today we’d like to introduce you to Malek Mayo.

Hi Malek, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My nine-year journey within the theatre and television industry begun after I graduated from Clark Atlanta University in 2016. What seemed like the greatest moment of my life would be shortly followed by the lowest I’ve ever felt. Fast forward a month later, I’m sleeping in the backseat of my car with my graduation tassel mocking me, as it hangs from my rear-view mirror. How could the exemplary student in the Theatre department end up washing himself in a Kroger restroom? That’s not supposed to happen, right? It felt like life was moving on without me; almost as if I was being buried alive. I wanted to give up on my dreams and get a job that’s financially stable, but I couldn’t. It didn’t make sense for me to trade in my wings for a parachute while I’m falling. I had to teach myself how to fly.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken a leap of faith, hoping my wings would catch me, only to fall on my face — but I can tell you that I got up every single time. Early in my Theatre career, I’ve worked as an Assistant Director throughout the city for free during the day while waiting tables at night to make ends meet. For me, it wasn’t about making money. It was about sharpening my craft as a Director/Writer and strengthening my wings so I could finally fly. Eventually, I got a Fellowship at Arena Stage in DC, where I’ve built my wings up strong enough to fly. Following the Fellowship, I was finally flying. My career was ascending fast as an employed Assistant Director, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that I was flying with the wrong flock.

When the world stopped because of COVID-19, I used that as an opportunity to find another flock to fly with. Through my networks, I landed in Reality TV, where I had to start from scratch because they fly a completely different way than how I’ve learned. Similar to my theatre career, I’ve spent years learning how to fly in the Camera and G&E departments, only to come to the realization that I’ll never feel fulfilled until I create my own flock and tell my own stories like I always wanted. That led to the birth of Free Angel Studios, a space where I can display my collection of skillsets that I’ve accumulated in my career and tell stories that presents Black people as everyday heroes.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As it pertains to my evolution as a business owner, my biggest lesson was learning that I can’t do it all by myself. I pride myself in being a creative, but it takes more than that to run a business. I found that marketing is just as, if not more, important than the product. We live in the age of the internet, where perception takes priority over reality. Meaning, it’s not about who you are, but who you appear to be. One of my biggest goals in 2026 is to find a team to support me in creating consistent & riveting content that matches the company’s mission and aesthetic.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Free Angel Studios operate as a clothing and production company. Currently, we offer merchandise online though our website (freeangelstudios.com) including our Winged Crown Trucker Hat and 11.11.11 Memorial Beanie. All our designs are created in-house, ensuring authenticity and uniqueness in every piece. Whether it’s though our merch or our upcoming short films, Free Angel Studios aims to challenge the false perception of Black freedom in America and envisions what true liberation looks like. We explore the cultural “what ifs” and question the systems of oppression that currently shape our reality.

I am excited to announce our upcoming short film entitled “Mrs. Black America vs. America.” Here’s a brief overview of the plot:

On the Fourth of July, amidst fireworks and fading illusions, EBONY, a Black woman married to the privileged SAM, reaches a breaking point. Beneath their luxurious facade lies a marriage built on control, erasure, and betrayal.

Ebony’s resistance to motherhood sparks a battle for agency, met with Sam’s charm, guilt, and manipulation. When he violates her trust, everything shatters. Entrapped by memories of her long-lost love WEST, Ebony imagines a life beyond her cage.

What follows is a gripping psychological and emotional war—a symbolic indictment of America’s historical exploitation of Black Americans under the guise of love, progression, and prosperity. Their home becomes a war zone, a courtroom, and a stage for buried truths. In a shocking climax, Ebony demands everything she deserves—spiritual, emotional, and ancestral.

“Mrs. Black America vs. America” is a raw, tragic short film about power, identity, and the revolutionary act of reclaiming one’s story. Ebony isn’t just leaving a man. She’s divorcing a country.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I believe you absolutely need to take risks to be successful, but it’s important to trust your gut. Most people don’t take risks because of fear. Of course, they fear the possibility of failure, but their true fear is of themselves. The fear lies within the internal battle of the negative thoughts you have in your head at 2am. Your identity is not defined by a single decision you’ve made; give yourself grace. Once you develop a trust/agreement within yourself that you will positively handle the situation, regardless of the outcome, you’ll see that failure is a choice that you subconsciously make. In life, you can’t always control what happens, but you can control how you experience it. Don’t torture yourself. Be nice to yourself; all you have is you.

My biggest risk is purposely taking the long route in my career to master the fundamentals of directing in the purest form of performing arts (theatre), in attempt to separate myself from other film directors. That decision that came with a degree of delayed gratification that felt overwhelming at times. Of course, I’ve battled the “would have, could have, should have’s” in my head, but I gave myself grace in staying focused on my end goal. I found comfort in knowing that I’m building something that’s never been done before, so it’ll take time. It takes years to be an overnight success. Tortoise vs Hare type shit.

Contact Info:

• Website: FreeAngelStudios.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freeangelstudios/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@freeangelstudios
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/freemayo/?hl=en

Image Credits
@qolden1_ @sphinxii8 @ashantixmayo @n3ur0tika @flawless.priss