We had the good fortune of connecting with David Morales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, how does your business help the community?
My goals not only involve artist development but to incorporate the role of art and entertainment within a community. My mission is to fill the void in the arts opportunity gap for low-income and minority artists and to connect artists to the communities they represent. As the owner of DCYPHER STUDIOS, I provide community-based artist development activities that allow artists to perform and network so they can learn new ways to elevate their brand and dissolve the barriers to the art and entertainment industry. To make these community events possible, I take on a variety of duties, such as developing budgets, planning events and performances, negotiating contracts, and developing community interest in arts organizations. I am also involved in publishing, licensing, PR, marketing, booking, and consultation. It is my job to determine the strategic focus for an artist without compromising their values. To ensure and measure progress, I develop business plans that exploit all revenue streams and engage the live music scene while providing access to music industry resources, such as record labels, producers, publicists, and educators.

What should our readers know about your business?
I’m an arts manager with an in-depth perspective from both the network and agency sides. I have an overwhelming passion for representing artists in the emerging talent space and a strong interest in discovering and launching new talent. I love inspiring teams that tap into areas of artist development and gaining exposure that translates into agency revenue. I am involvied in contract negotiations and take pride in resolving obstacles through realistic and mutually-beneficial compromises by introducing and implementing new and innovative solutions to cross-pollinate and maximize client coverage.

To do this, I incorporate cutting-edge technology into all aspects of talent relations, global casting, communications, marketing plans, and strategies. I navigate high-profile events and retain long-term industry relationships that result in access to decision-makers. I also establish strong relationships with a wide range of professionals including agents, producers, publicists, editors, and music industry professionals, such as music supervisors, A&R reps, and publishers.

What sets me apart from other artist managers is my focus on education. I believe that the more an artist knows about the industry, the more opportunities I can create for them. When I was a drummer in a band, I made some mistakes. I trusted the wrong people. The band members tried to exclude me from making money by leaving me out of the operations agreement. Instead, they treated me as a freelance drummer, and my only source of income would come from live performances. When I discovered that the band was getting paid for shows and not paying me, I decided to move on. All I wanted to do was play drums, but when they lied to me about money, it soured the experience. So I went on with my education and went to graduate school to become a social worker. During this time, I learned about human behavior from the organizational perspective (macro systems in a community that influences social wellbeing and culture). When studying these constructs, I became interested in plugging myself and others into these systems in the community. More than that, I wanted to become a system in the macro where artists and others could connect. But when I left social work for personal reasons, I had to find new ways to incorporate these principles into my work.

From my past experiences as a drummer and my newly attained knowledge from my experiences in social work, I decided to work in the arts and obtained an MA in Arts Administration and apply the same principles to my work as an artist manager. That is why it is essential for me to organize creative place-making projects that tie into these macro systems in the community. Art and live music help increase business, reduce crime, and influence commercial growth for artists and the communities they serve. It helps to enhance social inclusion, create revenue, build equity, and increase cultural awareness while creating a stable economy for artists.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where there is a thriving music industry and a lot of room for creative placemaking. Home to the University of Michigan, it is a bustling hub for art and creativity. Next to AnnArbor is the city of Ypsilanti. It also has a lot to offer artistically as well. There are many places to see live music and art galleries. A great place to go in Anarbor is called The Blind Pig, and in Ypsilanti, there is Ziggy’s. There are many theaters, and there is an Opera House in Detroit, and it is home to the Detroit Institute of the Arts (DIA), which showcases art from around the world. This area is very diverse with many different kinds of people, and there are so many amazing things to do it would be hard for me to mention them all here. The arts and entertainment industry in Detroit is big business. It includes hundreds of art and entertainment businesses and thousands of workers. The music industry in Detroit is home to over 450 music-related art and entertainment businesses and over 400 bars, parks, restaurants, and other performance spaces, with an estimated 40,000 and 50,000 live music performances a day. One place I haven’t visited but is on my to-do list is Detroit rapper Eminem’s new restaurant called Mom’s Spaghetti.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mother had a significant influence on me! She encouraged me to do well in school, and she exposed me to the world of art and music. Because I used to bang on pots and pans in the kitchen as a kid, she arranged drum lessons for me, and later on, I learned the piano. She was protective, but I had a lot of autonomy. I’ve always been a dreamer and enjoy helping people. That is one thing I love about artist management because I have a hand in helping people’s dreams come true. With that said, the artists I work with drive me to succeed, and I am a fan of their music. I learn from them, and they motivate me to work hard.

Website: https://dcypherstudios.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dcypherstudios/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmorale/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dcypherstudios

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dcypherstudios/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dcypher-studios-detroit

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/dcypherstudios

Other: Username @dcypherstuios on all platforms including TikTok and Snap Chat

Image Credits
Main photo Megan Lacroix Other pictures Arturo Herrera Car photo is a selfie

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