Fayona Matisse, CEO of Matisse Records, Visits Section 36 Music!

Fayona Matisse has visited Section 36 before to discuss her music. This time, she's returning as founder and CEO of her own label, Matisse Records. I was excited she was willing to talk to us a little bit about her company. I'm sure you'll love to hear what she has to say.

So, let’s see what happens when Fayona Matisse visits Section 36 Music!

What can you tell me about your label, “Matisse Records”?

Matisse Records is a developing label that I started back in 2022 but due to me being a full time student, I had to take a step back until Summer 2024. I am building my company on three premises; integrity when it comes to artist contracts, promoting live musicians, songwriters and demoting the use of AI, and promoting diversity in local and major music charts that are not solely driven by songs that blow up on social media. Matisse Records comes from my stage name: Fayona Matisse which was inspired by my father's DJ name when I was younger, who in turn, was inspired by Henri Matisse the famous french abstract painter. Matisse Records provides at the moment, three different services: Marketing services, Songwriting services and Management services. All can be found on our instagram page @matisserecordsofficial. We will be creating a fully fledged website in the coming months hopefully by the end of December.

What made you decide to start that venture?

I’ve known for quite some time that I wanted to create my own company. I come from a family of entrepreneurs who opened up their own business from a family law firm to a yoga studio, to a jewish preschool to an OT practice. I wanted to follow in my family’s footsteps but I wanted to enter the music industry and know that I would have a stable job while I’d perform on the side. I didn’t know it would be a record label until my freshman year of college. I was in a class (I honestly forget which one) and we were all talking about the events of the music industry at the time and a lot of students were saying how they don’t trust labels and their business dealings and I wanted to change that because there can be trust between labels and artists and it’s important to create a healthy relationship for future companies. 

What do you look for in an artist to work with?

I look for rising independent artists that would take a chance with a developing label and a woman who dreams big. I also want artists who aren’t your usual popstars. I’d be thrilled to have popstars on my roster but I’m also looking for more diverse bands and artists such as those whose genres are swing, 50s rock and roll, 80s classic rock, afro cuban, celtic, traditional cultural music and so many other genres including hip hop and even country and classical. I want to see musicians with a passion to being a new genre of music to the top charts and do something amazing with new minds and bringing back “obscure” genres not only to blow up on social media there but to release it to the world and do something good with it as well as educate future generations of artists and develop their idea of music. I want someone with passion and someone who loves music because of how they can make it theirs. 

What short or long-term goals do you have for Matisse Records?

These are the goals that I know that I can achieve but I do hope to add to this list in the next year or so. My short term goals for the next 1-5 years are to gain 50 clients and even have my own office floor in NYC or in Boston. I also hope to have more services available such as recording services and copyright law services. My long term goals for the next 10-15 years are to have an entire headquarters set up in Boston with an office in NYC and overseas in Paris; have a max of 150 artists on my roster, and be one of the leading companies in the music industry with a diverse music chart that has changed the music industry in a positive way that diminishes the use of AI in aspects of songwriting and instrumentation while promoting live musicians along with creative recording ideas. 

What has surprised you the most about starting the company?

What surprised me the most when starting my company was how much support I got from people even before anything was really up and running. It was awesome to hear that people were interested and asking questions, but it was a bit disheartening when those conversations didn’t always lead to action or follow-ups. Still, I’m really grateful for the friends and potential clients who are sticking with me. Their support, even if it hasn’t always been directly actionable, keeps me motivated and reminds me to keep pushing forward.

What has been the most challenging aspect about starting Matisse Records?

So far, the most challenging aspect about starting my company is coming up with content that directly relates to the journey of my label and being unique from all other startups. I have an amazing partner who is very knowledgeable on social media and as a Berklee student, I take all that I can and bring from my classes to the label side of the table. But with mental blocks and other obstacles and obligations, I have had to put a lot of my label’s work to the side to keep up with everything. But with the lessening of my workload these past couple of weeks, I am now planning new content for the season and I hope to gain more confidence in my abilities and in my audience’s reception. 

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Can definitely understand those challenges. But, hopefully we can all help her reach her goals!

As always, I want to give huge thanks to Fayona for doing this interview. 

I'm sure that after reading this, you may want to find out even more about Matisse Records and everything Fayona has going on. I would definitely suggest following the Matisse Records Instagram account so you don't miss a thing. 

And, if you talk to Fayona don’t forget to tell her you saw her on Section 36 Music!

Thanks again Fayona!