Meet R&B Sensation: Avrey Smith

Monday, 12 September 2011 22:20 Written by  Brittany Rodgers

Chicago-native, Avrey Smith, is paving his way through the music scene with his fresh look and new sound of music. Avrey is signed to Noviak Records, the label of Willie Taylor of the Hip Hop group Day26, from MTV’s “Making the Band” reality show.

“He saw something in me and we’ve been rocking together for about four or five years now,” Avrey says. “When Will decided to come up with the idea for his own label, Noviak Music, he saw something within me as an artist that he wanted to help take to the next level.”

Learning about music and the industry at a young age, Avrey started singing and playing the piano at seven years old. Music was always a part of his life because his grandfather was a pastor and his father was a church choir director and a firm believer in learning techniques of everything. Avrey learned how to read music and how to play other instruments, such as percussion and low brass instruments.

Music wasn’t something that Avrey saw as a career until after he graduated from high school and thought about what he would study in college, he explains.

“Music was something I could see myself doing, so I started studying music business/vocal performance and that when I started to pursue it cold heartily,” Avrey says.

Some of his musical influences are John Legend and Ryan Leslie, who he explains are musicians who compose their own music and sing, gospel artist who show progression and compose music for masses of choirs, and also jazz musicians.

Avery explains when listening to his music there is an emotional journey throughout it. You can hear club songs, love, and real life issues from the singer who says he is not afraid to say what he wants.

“The biggest thing that I think separates me from other artist is the honesty,” he admits. “The one thing about my music is it can really take you through a lot of aspects of life.”

His first mixtape, No Apologies, is composed of all covers. On the tracks, he shows a different side of him: the side that’s not sorry for anything and isn’t “gassed up” on other artist’s instrumentals. He’s honest and straight to the point and consumers can sense his authenticity in his music, he says.

“I said everything I wanted to say and wasn’t sorry for it,” Avrey explains. “A lot of people rock with it for that and it’s something that they can relate to, that is the whole concept behind the No Apologies mixtape.”

He’s currently working on his album and second mixtape Second Language, which are all classic original R&B songs.

“I feel universally that music is everyone’s second language and that’s one thing that connects all people,” he says. “I want my music to be that. I want my music to be the one thing that connects people regardless the background. That’s why I titled it The Second Language.

Breaking out onto the scene under the management of an artist who is from Chicago, he advises other up-and-coming artist in his hometown to never forget about the music industry. He says to continue to make quality music consistently and every song should be made into a single; never settle for one hot song.

“You have to show consistency and that’s all this industry is about. That’s all I continue to do is make so much music as I can,” says Smith.


Fans can follow Avrey Smith on Twitter @AvreySmithMusic, Facebook, YouTube and his website avreysmithmusic.com.

 

Brittany Rodgers

Brittany Rodgers

Brittany Rodgers is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism. She has written for a variety of publications, including The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Defender newspaper. She also is a blogger and enjoys social media.

Brittany can be contacted at BrittLRodgers@yahoo.com

Website: heartbrittlashay.tumblr.com

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