“You gotta make space for stuff, if you want it to come into your life. You got to make a move, you got to agitate some things in order for some things to change.”
-Avery*Sunshine
While dancing on the cusp of January, Award-Winning Singer, Avery*Sunshine is preparing for the 22-city Nu Soul Revival Tour, which is set to takeoff on February 4th in Raleigh NC.
The melodic vocalist is hitting the stage alongside, eleven-time Grammy Nominated and two-time Platinum selling artist, Musiq Soulchild; R&B Singer/Songwriter, Lyfe Jennings; and Grammy Nominated duo, Kindred & The Family Soul (in addition to the Foreign Exchange).
Can I get a “Whoop! Whoop! It’s refreshing to know that “Good Music Still Lives.”
Since we’re on the subject about amazing compositions, let’s talk about Avery*Sunshine’s harmonious style. It’s dubbed as “Jazzgosoul,” which is a pretty inventive category. When we chatted about how the genre was selected, she said, “I went to Spellman College, and when I tell you that was a Spellman College question right there… my answer is, ‘we didn’t choose.
We make music that feels good to us, and wherever that falls, that’s where it is.’ We like to just call the music, if we’re able to put it into a genre, it would be soul music—music that feels good to the soul, and music that makes you feel something,” she said.
“My partner, who is now my husband, was like, ‘people want to know if you are going to do Gospel or R&B?’ And I was like, "I don’t know." He said, “Why don’t we use the stuff that God gives us to do, and let that be that.”
Following the notion her husband suggested, Avery*Sunshine has gone on to make copious albums that crossover fluently between R&B, Neo Soul and Gospel. Her latest release “Come Do Nothing,” is a wonderful ballad paired with Jazz and Neo Soul extracts.
Her newest album Twenty Sixty Forty is inspired by a rush of emotions that she experienced while planning her wedding, as well an intimate prayer that she made to God, which Avery*Sunshine expressed like this, “If you give me until two-thousand-and-sixty-four with this man—he is the love of my life, and my best friend. I’d be 89 and he’d be 91… If you just give us until then, I’ll be so grateful, and that’s what we decided to call the record Twenty Sixty Forty.
Though she loves all the songs on the album, Avery*Sunshine really appreciates the single, “Heaven,” a collaborative ballad that she worked on with the masterful Talk Box... “I think, right now, that might be my favorite. I can’t wait for ya’ll to hear that,” she spoke elatedly.
The euphonious singer also said that she felt inspired to write “Jump.”
“Oh, man, “Jump” was a couple different things, for a couple different people, between my good friend and for my children. “Jump” was the song that said, “You know, you have to move.” A lot of times, we’re waiting for God, we’re waiting for the universe, we’re waiting for something else, to inspire us or typically make the first move. I’ll never forget, my good friend, Reverend Nick Williams, called me. He said, ‘I saw a billboard, and the billboard said,” Had you ever thought about, while you’re waiting on God, God is waiting on you?” I was like, ‘come on!’
Her story as well as her spiritual conquest is the warm and fuzzy stuff that fairytales are made of—as a wife and mother of three, she confirms that if you trust God, all things will come to pass within His will, as long as you trust in Him.
Speaking of her music and steadfast vibrations, Avery*Sunshine said that she refuses to label herself… In fact, she explained with fixated spunk, “I said, Un, un (No). I’m gonna do what I wanna do, and if I have to do this, it will be the way I want to do it.”
As a spiritual and influential musician, Avery*Sunshine blazed the charts with her diverse blends of harmonies. Her song “Call My Name,” hit #1 on the National Billboard… She even performed at the 2008 National Democratic Convention.
Just this past weekend, the songstress was recognized at “The Women of Impact Awards,” where she shared acclaim for her philanthropic work, alongside 50 other leading women in the industry. “I am absolutely honored and grateful,” she said.
The vocalist went on to share that although she’s being recognized, she still feels the need to do more.
“The music is just a bridge to start the healing... “I do believe that my work is more than just the music, for real. From talking about Alzheimer awareness-- my father is a veteran and (he) received really poor care in Georgia. We had to stay on them… had to stay on them, and you’re talking about an issue…. So, I pray that my music is a bridge to give me a voice, to really start the conversation, to get some things going for change, for real.
So, again, I am honored and grateful.”
Avery*Sunshine received the spectacular award along with a close friend, Soulful Singer, Angie Stone, and many other women making a difference within the industry.
As for you, Mrs. Sunshine*Avery, who leads by conspicuous example, here’s my open letter to you:
“We congratulate you and wish you much success for being the fierce pearl that you are, a diamond shinning inwardly and out—for being the courageous woman of song who least be conceded by conventional theories of how you should be, and being just what you are… a woman of phenomenal integrity and “Our Woman of Impact!"
We applaud you, Avery*Sunshine, with complete admiration, from the depths of our nurturing souls!”
Furthermore, as the vocalist stated above when talking about her father, she is passionate about non-profits like Alzheimer Awareness, HIV Prevention, mentorship, in addition to female and youth empowerment.
She’s traveled while performing on Broadway, as well the culturally exquisite continent of Africa, and next month, the chanteuse is kicking off the 22-City Nu Soul Revival Tour. The vocalist said, it actually makes me feel excited, and I was actually texting, Aja, with Kindred the Family Soul, the other day. I’m like, ‘Wow,”’ Lyfe, Musiq, Kindred, Chrisette Michelle, these folks—I am fans of! To do this, I am more than excited!” I’m even more excited to bring light to Alzheimer Awareness.
NuSoul Revial Tour 2017 dates
Visit www.NuSoulRevivalTour.com to find out where to purchase tickets. **All dates, venues, artist line-up, and on-sale information are subject to change. Date City Venue 2/3 Raleigh, NC Duke Energy Center 2/4 Charleston, SC North Charleston Performing Arts Center
2/10 Nashville, TN Nashville Municipal Auditorium 2/11 Chicago, IL Arie Crown Theater 2/12 Louisville, KY Whitney Hall
2/14 Philadelphia, PA Liacouras Center
2/17 Washington, D.C. Constitution Hall 2/18 NYC Beacon Theater
2/24 Charlotte, NC Ovens Auditorium 2/25 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre 3/3 Norfolk, VA Chrysler Hall 3/4 Dallas, TX Verizon Theater 3/10 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre 3/11 St. Petersburg, VA Virginia State Multipurpose Center 3/17 Columbus, OH Palace Theater 3/18 Cleveland, OH State Theater 3/24 Kansas City, MO Midland Theater 3/25 St. Louis, MO Peabody Opera House 3/31 South Haven, MS Landers Center 4/1 Houston, TX NRG Arena 4/7 New Orleans, LA Lakefront Arena 4/8 Jacksonville, FL Times Union Center