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, theyβre very different in terms of style, is there something particular youβre going for, or are you still experimenting?
No, itβs 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, youβre 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 Iβm going to counter it with the βIf I Have Toβ side; the emotional side. So itβs not really like itβs two different people, itβs really me. I wanted to give that to people so when they do listen to my album, and they do hear my music, they wonβt find me more edgy than they expected, it wonβt be something that shocks them, theyβll be prepared for it.
That makes sense, labeling yourself to one sound is unrealistic.
Absolutely. If I didnβt give it to them then they wouldnβt know. Thatβs why I wasnβt afraid to press that envelope and just put that out there. Of course people know me for my voice, so βIf I Have Toβ is something that they would expect from me. But what they donβt know that I turn up, and Iβm 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. Thatβs the plan. Iβm a fan of rap.
Are there any specific Atlanta rappers you want to link up with?
Boosie, of course. Heβs down here and weβve brushed past each other in the studio sometimes but Iβd 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 Iβve 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 itβs all over the place. But iβve 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, Iβd have to say that vocally, my voice came from the big singers like Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, Usher, Beyonceβ¦these are just really big artists that get on these pop records, make a crossover, and show the world itβs possible. Just the first time hearing βSaving All My Love For Youβ, My mom played it in the car when I was about thirteen, I was like, βwho is that?!β and I wanted to sound like that, so ever since then Iβve 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, βman weβre gonna stop all that extra stuff because you donβt know what you have, the gift you been blessed withβ. So I just been trying to work with it since then and everything else was pushed out. I still dance, Iβm 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 Iβm not saying itβs lost or that itβs not here, but thereβs 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 Iβm a crooner or that iβm just that 90βs 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 youβre talking about our generation, as someone whoβs 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 donβt want to like erase Hip Hop, because I feel like you canβt 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 arenβt gonna be turning up everyday and theyβre going to want to be in their feelings. That type of music really caters to that need, and I want to bring it back, thatβs 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 isnβt possible. Like take ODB for example.
Exactly. You need a harmony. Itβs 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 wouldnβt want to stay within genre lines either.
Yeah, Iβm definitely avoiding boxes. Itβs more about getting to people, showing them what my viewpoints are on love and real life. So Iβm 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 wouldnβt say that they sound the same, but I would say that theyβre all inspired by each other. So if thereβs 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, Iβm 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 itβs coldplay or mick jagger or just the greats. Iβm also coming into this with a great team, that a lot of people donβt get to come in with. So Iβm 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, Iβm working on my album right now, in the studio with some really great songwriters and producers. Iβm just sort of preparing for what it is to come. Iβm 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. Iβm just working. Honestly, itβs a dream come true for me, because Iβm 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, Iβm working on this record right now, itβs gonna be really really dope. I canβt wait for yaβll to get a glimpse of what it is.
Are there any features on the record youβd 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 yeahβ¦Well, you mightβve 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 Iβm working with, they have those connections, so nothing is impossible.
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