VELVET REVOLUTION IN BLUE AND RED + THE POWER OF BEING YOURSELF—AND NOT ALONE

Captured by Mitchell Royel in the Fashion District, this isn’t for gospel glamour. This is something else entirely. A vivid declaration, a new kind of anthem. And now playing—"Crowd Nine" by Mitchell Royel. That’s the sound, that’s the mood, that’s the feeling captured in every frame. Bold, unapologetic, moving to its own rhythm.

I almost left the first photo alone.

It was beautiful. Mysterious. My face hidden behind pale hair, a top hat, all that red velvet. But something felt unfinished.

So I did it again.

This time, I wasn't alone.

Two women stand beside me. One on each side. Both blonde, both with these clear blue eyes that look right at you. Their hair is big and curly, a little bit 80s, a little bit fearless. They wear blue velvet jackets, soft and rich, like they stepped out of another time entirely.

They aren't background. They're the point.

Here's the thing about my face being covered. It was never about hiding. It was about letting go of being seen the "right" way. The expected way.

That's what "Crowd Nine" was always about.

I wrote it years ago and put it on MySpace, back when that felt brave. The whole song was one quiet idea: don't follow the crowd. Stand a little apart. Be your own person, even when it's easier not to.

The first photo said mystery.

The second one says something better. It says I know exactly who I am, and I'm surrounded by people who know who they are too. Bold. Different. Themselves.

No blending in.
Crowd nine.

That's why I reshot it.

Because standing apart feels even better when you're standing next to someone doing the same.

-Mitchell