Known for his time spent on The Voice, Avery Wilson is penning an album that goes deeper than what his fans might expect.
Avery, acutely aware of the musical state of his generation, shared his goal to implement R&B roots into music that accurately reflects his emotions, while still grabbing the public’s ear. Avery’s strive for balance is nothing short of admirable, as he sets a goal to have the same crossover capabilities as Michael Jackson. With Sean Garrett and Clive Davis as coaches, he’s sure to accomplish all he’s set out to do. We got the pleasure to ask Avery some questions (which are in bold)
I listened to your two singles, they’re very different in terms of style, is there something particular you’re going for, or are you still experimenting?
No, it’s definitely a set sound. But, with those two singles that I put out, I wanted to give people an insight as to who I was as an artist. I feel like, being an artist, you’re not just supposed to go one way, or show one side of yourself emotionally. So for me, most of the times I want to turn up but I’m going to counter it with the “If I Have To” side; the emotional side. So it’s not really like it’s two different people, it’s really me. I wanted to give that to people so when they do listen to my album, and they do hear my music, they won’t find me more edgy than they expected, it won’t be something that shocks them, they’ll be prepared for it.
That makes sense, labeling yourself to one sound is unrealistic.
Absolutely. If I didn’t give it to them then they wouldn’t know. That’s why I wasn’t afraid to press that envelope and just put that out there. Of course people know me for my voice, so “If I Have To” is something that they would expect from me. But what they don’t know that I turn up, and I’m really just 20. I just turned 20 and I wanted to give them that vibe.
With having Migos on your record, do you want to work with more Hip Hop artists?
Absolutely. the Migos just came about because it was something my producer brought to me but they will and forever be the turn up kings to me out here in Atlanta. So I connected with them and it was just a match made in heaven. But I definitely want to work with different artists, Kendrick, Kanye, hopefully. That’s the plan. I’m a fan of rap.
Are there any specific Atlanta rappers you want to link up with?
Boosie, of course. He’s down here and we’ve brushed past each other in the studio sometimes but I’d love to get on his records and have him jump on mine.
How much of Hip Hop has an influence on your sound as a singer?
It influences it a lot. I feel like the cadence that rappers used is what singers do now, but I’ve always listened to rappers for the longest time. My brother is a big rap head and he put it on me. He listened to everybody from Dr. Dre to Talib Kweli, so it’s all over the place. But i’ve always been inspired by them with their cadence and how they approach things aggressively.
Speaking on your singing, who were some singers that vocally inspired you early on in your life.
Man, I’d have to say that vocally, my voice came from the big singers like Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, Usher, Beyonce…these are just really big artists that get on these pop records, make a crossover, and show the world it’s possible. Just the first time hearing “Saving All My Love For You”, My mom played it in the car when I was about thirteen, I was like, “who is that?!” and I wanted to sound like that, so ever since then I’ve been studying.
Where you singing all your life?
No. Honestly that was not my focus at first. I was playing basketball, running track, I was dancing, doing all kinds of styles. I was that kid that was doing everything. I was a gymnast, I was flipping off the walls, I was playing sports, breaking things. I was that kid who was just striving. Around the age of nine, my dad heard me humming and singing in the car, and he was like, “man we’re gonna stop all that extra stuff because you don’t know what you have, the gift you been blessed with”. So I just been trying to work with it since then and everything else was pushed out. I still dance, I’m still interested in sports, but singing is my main passion.
You mentioned earlier, the influence that big coasts who get on pop records and crossover have on you, do you want to make the same kind of crossover?
Yes. That is definitely my plan, the inspiration that they gave me as a kid made me want to do that, and I’m not saying it’s lost or that it’s not here, but there’s definitely a void in a way, and I want to bring it back to people. A lot of people put me in the box saying I’m a crooner or that i’m just that 90’s R&B sound, but I want to take that sound and mix it in for our generation. I just want to do what they did for me and bring that inspiration to somebody else and then keep it moving.
When you’re talking about our generation, as someone who’s nineteen, I can say that in my group of friends people are more into Hip Hop than they are into singing, Do you feel like you want to change that mindset a bit?
For sure! I don’t want to like erase Hip Hop, because I feel like you can’t erase something that is so deeply rooted but I definitely want to give back the importance of that singing or R&B, because it is such an important thing. People aren’t gonna be turning up everyday and they’re going to want to be in their feelings. That type of music really caters to that need, and I want to bring it back, that’s definitely my plan.
True, I think that something people forget is, that when the best emcees sang, it was something special, you got an emotion across that isn’t possible. Like take ODB for example.
Exactly. You need a harmony. It’s not a weird couple because when you think about it R&B right now is so inspired by the culture of rap, but back in the 90s, rap was inspired by us as singers. So it takes turns going back and forth.
So I take it you wouldn’t want to stay within genre lines either.
Yeah, I’m definitely avoiding boxes. It’s more about getting to people, showing them what my viewpoints are on love and real life. So I’m definitely not focused on putting that in a box because if you put it in a box then you can only give it to the buy that buy those boxes.
Coming up in your lane, there are a handful of pop artists, many music fans would say, sound the same. Do you feel that stigma?
I wouldn’t say that they sound the same, but I would say that they’re all inspired by each other. So if there’s nothing new coming out of the inspiration box then of course, you have no choice but to think they all sound the same. Me, being the artist I am, I’m definitely coming in, taking their world and using it for inspiration, but also implementing my Hip Hop and R&B roots, taking inspiration from whatever genre it may be, whether it’s coldplay or mick jagger or just the greats. I’m also coming into this with a great team, that a lot of people don’t get to come in with. So I’m super grateful and honored for that. I have Sean Garrett and Clive Davis which is bigger than life. So I have a different kind of view coming in, and a different kind of arsenal of tools.
Do you have a record planned out?
Yeah, I’m working on my album right now, in the studio with some really great songwriters and producers. I’m just sort of preparing for what it is to come. I’m in there right now, and i got a lot of good music coming and it could drop very soon. If it happens, then it happens. I’m just working. Honestly, it’s a dream come true for me, because I’m getting to work with people i always looked up to. When I got into music and did my research i realized that these people are the absolute sh*t! I have to be one of the people they respect. Even if they need worked with me, i just wanted to be respected. So yeah, I’m working on this record right now, it’s gonna be really really dope. I can’t wait for ya’ll to get a glimpse of what it is.
Are there any features on the record you’d like to share?
Uhh well let me put it this way, if I got Migos on the single, you can expect anybody to show up on the record.
Yeah, when I was listening to the singles, I was picturing a Travis Scott feature.
Oh yeah…Well, you might’ve said it before I did. It could be that, I f*ck with Travis Scott. It could be him, Kehlani, or Rihanna for all I know. The people I’m working with, they have those connections, so nothing is impossible.
art by your homie, Arthur Banach
check out more on my insta @wildhxir
