Multi-platinum R&B singer and songwriter Avant is sharing his life story on a recent episode of TV One’s Unsung. In the upcoming episode, he will discuss his journey in music while highlighting some of the disappointing moments that inevitably came with his success. With almost 20 years in music and eight albums worth of music, he’s arguably one of the best R&B singer/songwriters of the 21st century.
“They called me up and the asked me if I wanted to do Unsung. You know I been in the game for up to 19 years now, so maybe I have a story to tell. I know I got a huge fan base that want to hear the ups and downs of the rollercoaster ride that music is.”
Avant is mostly known for creating thought-provoking love songs. In the past, he scored top slots on the charts with singles likes “Separated”, “Makin’ Good Love”, and “Read Your Mind.” Coming out of Cleveland, OH, the singer got his start in the music industry as a member of a singing trio called The Fellas. However, the group disbanded after producers singled out Avant as the star. His big break came after he released “Separated” as an independent artist. The song rose to popularity thanks to the support of radio stations across the country.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq3vcRpRh_g;
Eventually, Avant found himself signed to MCA Records through Magic Johnson Records as a solo artist. In 2000, he dropped his debut album My Thoughts, which went platinum. It sold more 1.3 million copies in the United States.
The story of Avant is basically a tale of someone who literally fought his way to success. He was able to achieve stardom with limited help from his record label. Through the fight, he learned how to survive and create his own opportunities by taking control of his career and calling his own shots.
Some of his most prominent battles in the industry were centered around his music and his ability to spot a hit single. Unfortunately, record labels were almost never on the same page. Though he started with MCA, he was later dropped after the company was absorbed by Geffen Records. He would go on to sign with Capitol Records, only to find himself in similar situations. Avant is now apart of MO-B Entertainment, which is distributed through Capitol.
“Love what you do. If you get into the music game love it. Don’t settle toward what people say hits now, because if you get into the game and they’re telling you that you need a radio hit, you’re not in the game for that. You have to love what you do. You have to create your own lane. You have to gather fans. It’s not about you getting one record. You have to get a multitude of records, that’s great, that people respect.”
Though most of his singles are well-received hits, there’s an undeniability about the songs that he created with R&B Divas star Keke Wyatt. The two simply make magic everything they’re in the studio together. The singer’s voices were immortalized on their first duet “My First Love”, which was recorded when Keke was still an up-and-coming artist. Now R&B powerhouses, the two reunited in 2012 for their hit single “You & I.”
Outside of music, Avant has managed to rekindle his passion for acting. He might be known as a singer, he is also a graduate of a performing arts high school, where he learned to both sing and act. In 2009, he managed to snag a role in David E. Talbert’s Love in the Nick of Tyme. He’s also taken an interest in book publishing, backing author Vincent Dizon and his novel Trial of Mankind.
Avant has recently started working on his ninth studio album. Throughout his career, he’s always remained faithful to the fact that people love real music; the very music that he likes to deliver. It’s clear that we can expect more quality hits and soulful songs from this R&B singer/songwriter.
