Avani

I've always loved music. I like to say that I realised I could sing when I opened my mouth at seven (singing at the top of my voice at the bottom of the stairs in my house) & I haven't shut it since! At school, I always got involved in school concerts, singing on stage in school concerts, assemblies & being part of the 'entertainment' @ at fashion shows & performances we put on. Music was my favourite subject at school, I was always creative. My music teacher was very supportive & encouraged me to do as much as possible. In my teens, I used to perform at talent shows & contests at places like the Oval House Cafe in Kennington & Singers Paradise at The Civic Centre on Old Kent Road in London. I liked to perform cover versions of songs, like Lalah Hathaway's 'Baby Don't Cry' & also do backing vocals for some of the other acts who appeared. Writing my own songs came about after I realised that I wanted to make a career out of music. I actually used to write stories at first. Then when I was ten, I wrote my first song. I felt that writing stories seemed to be too much of a long winded way to get my ideas across. Plus, I realised that I didn't just want to be a singer, singing other people's songs & if I wanted to sing I would need material-nobody else was going to write it for me. So, songwriting became a passion as well as a necessity. As a songwriter, I have worked with various other vocalists, rappers & producers, both male & female, in a group, recording duets as well as doing my own backing vocals on my tracks & backing vocals for other people. I've also worked on various types of music (such as dance music- Equilibrium-Anthony & Georgio (vocals performed by me);this track is on the Ministry of Sound-Dance Nation 5 album (mixed by Pete Tong & Boy George), Adam F (studio session), the Trubble-Dancing Baby track; As seen on Ally McBeal, vocals performed by me), & the Robbie Rivera track: The Hum Melody (vocals performed by me). Soul Music: I've worked with Jazzy B from Soul II Soul & Carl McIntosh from Loose Ends (studio sessions & live gigs). I've also toured with Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music on their 2001 tour. I have been working both on stage & in the studio incorporating session work & pursuing solo projects over the years doing cover versions & my own original material. During this time, I also did stage shows & performances alongside artistes such as: Nate James, Terri Walker, Nathan, Estelle, Mica Paris, Omar, Don E & Rahsaan Patterson to name a few. Then, while being managed by legendary music manager Tony Hall & highly accredited uk former soul artist, Paul Johnson, I finally got to release my own solo album, The Real Thing, through Dome Records on which I collaborated with Don E, Carl McIntosh from Loose Ends & Rahsaan Patterson. My influences are: Aretha Franklin, Mica Paris, Angela Winbush, Stephanie Mills, Chaka Khan, Faith Evans, Mary J Blige, Joe, Glenn Jones, Charlie Wilson & Michael Cooper to name a few. To work with anyone of them would be a dream (so hey if you're out there reading this, please please get in touch & let's hook up!!). I would also love to work with people like Mint Condition, Jagged Edge, R Kelly, Twista, Ludacris, Tony! Toni! Tone! Oh my list just goes on & on! Some of my favourite things to do include: going to concerts; I love to see acts live-sometimes the atmosphere of a live gig just completely helps you to understand what an artist is really about when you can see them in the flesh, travelling, singing, talking (I love to chat!), writing song, reading, listening to music, going out raving ( I like dancing!) & going to the cinema. I really would like to have a successful musical career. I believe longevity is the key. I'd like to work with all types of people, experience as many different things musically as possible & evolve creatively; I want the sky to be the limit! To describe myself, I'd say I'm a very happy, optimistic person, somebody who perseveres, patient & a good listener, someone who wants to spread good vibes through music & get on in life. Plus, yes, I am just ever so slightly crazy as well, but in a good way! Avani.xx Myspace Backgrounds