Today we’d like to introduce you to Craig Mizell.
Hi Craig, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story started in Flint, Michigan, and like many gospel musicians, the church was my first classroom. I was the kid who was fascinated by the music, the musicians, and everything happening behind the scenes. I did not just want to hear the song; I wanted to understand how all the pieces came together.
That curiosity eventually turned into a career. I began playing keyboards, producing music, and serving as a music and technical director. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work in churches, television, live events, recording studios, and alongside some incredibly gifted artists. I spent several years as a music director at The Word Network and later served as the musical and technical director at Triumph Church. Every experience taught me something different about leadership, preparation, people, and the responsibility that comes with helping someone bring their vision to life.
In 2010, I founded My-Zeal Productions. At first, the focus was primarily on making great music and creating opportunities for artists. As the company grew, I produced records, developed live experiences, coordinated releases, and helped independent artists move their ideas from the “I have a song” stage to something people could actually hear, see, and support.
Along the way, I noticed a pattern: many talented artists did not have a talent problem. They had a development problem.
They could sing, write, or perform, but no one had helped them understand their sound, identity, business, audience, release strategy, or what to do after the music came out. We live in an era where artists have more access than ever, but access does not automatically mean readiness. You can upload a song worldwide before lunch and still have no idea what you own, who you are trying to reach, or what happens next. I realized I was often doing much more than producing records. I was helping artists connect the dots.
That realization led me into the direction I am most excited about today: artist development. I recently completed my bachelor’s degree in Music Business from Berklee College of Music, graduating summa cum laude. Going back to school strengthened what years of experience had already been teaching me and gave me even more tools to help independent artists build sustainable careers.
Today, my work sits at the intersection of music, business, branding, strategy, and personal development. I am still a producer, but I am equally passionate about helping artists become prepared for the opportunities they are praying for. Through My-Zeal Productions, my educational content, consultations, and my upcoming book, The Independent Gospel Artist Blueprint, I am building resources that help independent gospel artists develop their sound, understand the business, tell their story, and release music with an actual plan.
In many ways, I have gone from helping artists make songs to helping them build careers. And honestly, it feels less like I changed directions and more like I finally found the language for what I had been doing all along.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, but some of the biggest bumps taught me the lessons that now shape my approach to artist development.
One of my early mistakes was assuming that a great singer automatically made a great artist. I worked with and signed people who had incredible voices, but I eventually learned that vocal ability is only one part of being an artist. An artist also needs vision, discipline, consistency, identity, resilience, and the willingness to keep working when the excitement wears off.
At the time, however, I did not fully understand how to identify those qualities or how to help someone develop them. I knew how to produce music, create a strong live show, and help people sound good, but I was still learning how to build the person and the infrastructure around the talent. In some cases, the artists did not have the drive necessary to push through the difficult stages. In other cases, I did not yet have the systems or experience to guide them smoothly through those stages. I have learned to take responsibility for both sides of that equation.
Five for Five is probably the clearest example. On the surface, it was a major success. We created two live recording experiences, worked with ten artists, and produced 20 singles. The events were exciting, the music was strong, and we proved that independent gospel artists could come together and create something that looked and felt significant.
But we did not have the proper infrastructure in place to maintain the momentum after the events. We had concentrated so much energy on producing the moment that we had not built enough systems for what came next. We needed stronger plans for artist development, content, marketing, audience building, release schedules, accountability, data collection, and long-term follow-through. We created the spark, but we were not fully prepared to keep feeding the fire.
That experience changed how I think. I no longer believe the goal is simply to record a great song or create an impressive event. The real work is building something that can continue after the applause stops. Now, I ask different questions before beginning a project: Who is this artist? What makes them distinct? Are they willing to do the work? Who is their audience? What is the release plan? What happens in week two, week four, and week eight? What systems are in place to support the music?
Five for Five was not a failure. It was a successful idea that exposed the areas where I still needed to grow. It taught me that talent can create a moment, but development and infrastructure are what turn that moment into a career.
That lesson is a major reason I am leaning so heavily into artist development today. I want to give artists the guidance I did not always know how to provide earlier in my journey, while also helping them understand that nobody can want their career more than they do.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My-Zeal Productions, LLC is a music production and artist development company built to help independent artists move from having talent to being truly prepared.
People have traditionally known me as a producer, keyboardist, and music director. I have spent years producing records, developing live shows, leading musicians, and helping artists bring their creative ideas to life. That work is still an important part of what we do, but the company has expanded beyond simply making music. Today, our focus is helping artists build the sound, identity, business knowledge, and strategy necessary to create sustainable careers.
I specialize in working with independent gospel artists because I understand the unique tension they often face. They want to honor their ministry and remain authentic to their faith, but they also need to understand branding, marketing, ownership, contracts, royalties, and audience development. Those things are not in conflict. You can be spiritually grounded and professionally prepared. In fact, I believe you should be both.
Through My-Zeal Productions, I provide music production, artist-development consultations, project assessments, release strategy, brand positioning, live-show development, and music-business education. Sometimes an artist needs help improving the music. Sometimes the music is strong, but the presentation is unclear. Other times, they have released several songs without properly registering the music, identifying their audience, collecting listener information, or creating a plan for what happens after release day. My role is to assess the entire picture and help connect those dots.
What sets my approach apart is that I am not teaching from theory alone. I have been in the studio, onstage, behind the scenes, in the church, in television, and in the business meetings. I have experienced successful moments, made expensive mistakes, and learned what happens when great music is created without the infrastructure to support it.
I am probably most proud that the brand is becoming known for honest, practical guidance. I am not interested in selling artists the fantasy that one song, one viral post, or one important connection will instantly create a career. My message is that access is not the same as readiness. Talent may open a door, but preparation, consistency, and knowledge determine what happens once you enter the room.
That philosophy is also at the center of my upcoming book, The Independent Gospel Artist Blueprint. The book focuses on the areas many artists overlook: developing a recognizable sound, building an authentic brand, understanding ownership and royalties, creating direct relationships with supporters, and approaching every release as a complete campaign rather than a single social media announcement.
Ultimately, My-Zeal Productions exists to help artists become more intentional. I want artists to leave our work together with more than a good song. I want them to understand who they are, what they own, who they serve, and how to build something that lasts.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Talent is a gift, but development is a choice. My goal is to help independent gospel artists become prepared for the opportunities they are praying for. If you are serious about growing your sound, brand, business, and strategy, connect with me at CraigMizell.com or follow me at @CraigMizellCEO on all platforms.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Craigmizell.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craigmizellceo?igsi=MTA5bjl0Y2htY3VpMA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
