Velvet Umbrella Records
About Velvet Umbrella Records
A Home for the Underdogs, the Overcomers, and the Sound of Becoming
Velvet Umbrella Records was born from the ashes of burnout, heartbreak, and brilliance — a desire to protect, empower, and uplift artists the industry too often overlooks. Co-founded by Tea Kinsington (Studio TeaZilla) and Mickey Fingers of Gala Violet, this indie label is more than a place to publish music — it’s a sanctuary, a stage, and a safe harbor for the misfits with melodies.
We believe artists should own their work, find their voice, and be supported in every step of their creative journey. From project planning to playlist strategy, from lyric layouts and cover art to building LinkPods and preparing for release — we offer coaching and creative support for independent artists ready to bring their vision to life.
We don’t do audio engineering or mastering services — but we do walk beside you as you prepare to release something meaningful into the world. We’ve been there. We’ve burned out. And we’ve come back with louder hearts and better playlists.
Many of our artists are Spoonies, survivors, and storytellers who’ve had to rebuild after band breakups, industry trauma, or deep personal loss. They come with scars, songs, and sacred fire.
Under the Velvet Umbrella, we don’t just release music —
We reclaim the mic.
We remix the myth.
And we do it together.
About the Founders
Mickey Fingers (producer, engineer, writer, performer, remixer, firestarter) and Tea Kinsington (writer, artist, vocalist, spoonie visionary) met in the margins and built a label in the ruins. Together, they’ve released music, made zines, built mixtapes, and sparked an entire world of story-driven sound.
At Velvet Umbrella, they offer more than just a label — they offer a lifeline.
our story.
Our Mascot: The Opossum
Opossums “play dead” to survive — and so have many of us.
Shut down. Silenced. Told to stay small.
But here, we don’t play dead anymore.
We rise up. We make noise. We reclaim the mic.
That’s the Velvet Umbrella way.
Why We Exist
Many of the artists we work with have survived what the music industry won’t talk about:
• Rape, abuse, gaslighting, misogyny
• Chronic illness and disability
• Toxic bandmates, gatekeeping, and burnout
• The unbearable pressure to be shiny, marketable, or palatable
Some were told they weren’t good enough.
Others were never even given a chance.
But we know the truth:
✨ You don’t have to be “perfect” to be powerful.
✨ You deserve to own your work.
✨ Art is sacred — and so are you.
This is a place for the tender and the loud, the weird and the weary,
the ones still learning to trust their own voice.
We’re not here to make hits.
We’re here to make meaning.
And to build a soft rebellion.
One song at a time.
A Soft Place to Land. A Fierce Place to Rise.
We met a long time ago… in a galaxy filled with mixtapes, messy notebooks, and late-night lyric swaps. Back then, we were just two songwriters finding our voices in the margins — quietly sketching melodies between life’s louder demands.
Years later, we found each other again. This time during the stillness of COVID — where one of us said, “Hey, want to join my Artist’s Way group?” And something clicked.
Old songs stirred. New stories woke up.
And from that spark, Velvet Umbrella Records was born.
Our Story
We’re two Spoonies, survivors, and stubborn dreamers — building something soft and strong from the pieces the world tried to scatter.
Velvet Umbrella Records was created as a refuge — for the misfits, the burned-out, the ones who lost their voices in trauma, illness, or industry noise.
Founded by Gala Violet and Studio TeaZilla (Tea Kinsington), we’re an indie label devoted to helping artists release their music without losing themselves.
This isn’t just about music.
It’s about healing through creation,
rewriting the rules,
and reclaiming joy in our own damn voices.
What We Offer
We support artists in bringing their vision to life, with:
• Help publishing & distributing music
• Album art & design support
• Bandcamp & streaming setup
• Posters, graphics, promo materials
• Gentle coaching through the hard stuff: trauma, illness, imposter syndrome, or artistic burnout
We’re collaborators, cheerleaders, layout nerds, and lyric midwives. We help you get it out, get it right, and get it heard.
our artists.
Each Voice a Universe.
Step inside Velvet Umbrella Records, where every circle is a portal — into a world of sound, soul, and sacred storytelling.
Our artists aren’t just musicians.
They’re dreamers, survivors, and spell-casters — each with a story worth hearing and a voice that refuses to be silenced.
Gala Violet paints in dream-pop and defiance, layering grief, joy, and slow-burning hope into every note.
More voices are gathering… weaving their own sonic spells.
Some are healing.
Some are rising.
Some are just beginning.
And the empty circles?
They’re holding space.
It could be you.
blog.
Mickey’s Corner
Backstage Banter, Sonic Secrets & Lyric Alchemy
Pull up a chair, darling. This is where the stories unfold.
Mickey’s Corner is our behind-the-scenes blog — a peek inside the Velvet Umbrella where songs are born from laughter, heartbreak, and the occasional junk drawer full of percussion toys.
Here, Mickey Fingers & Tea Kinsington swap tales about:
• Breaking writer’s block (and breaking the rules)
• Turning kitchen utensils into drum kits (And Yoga Balls)
• Crafting layered vocals in Ableton (yes, that’s still one voice)
• Lyric experiments, backstory deep dives & accidental masterpieces
It’s part audio diary, part love letter to the creative process.
Come wander through the drafts, demos, and delicious chaos that eventually becomes a song. You might find a bit of yourself here, too.
Join the Umbrella
A Soft Place to Land. A Fierce Place to Rise.
Are you an artist with a voice that’s been hiding?
A half-finished song? A dream buried under burnout?
Velvet Umbrella Records offers one-on-one support, creative tools, and real encouragement to help you bring your music to life — at your pace, in your voice. Whether you need a Bandcamp page, cover art, a lyric coach, or just someone who believes in what you’re making… we’re here.
Because sometimes, all you need is someone to say:
“I hear you. Let’s do this together.”
Come in from the storm. You’re not alone anymore