When you think about who is making noise on the R&B scene these days, not many new names come to mind. The commercial playing field of R&B singers has narrowed down to our flashback 90’s singers who have revitalized the ‘reality show’ market. You can easily turn the dial between cable network channels-TV One, WE, and Oxygen to catch R&B Divas, SWV, or The Braxtons showing you the struggles of each singer’s ‘comeback’ trail and story.
The music business can sometimes be a tough and cruel world and as technology has become more habitual in our daily lives- independent artists have used this as a viable tool to get exposure through untraditional outlets. One of these exceptional talents that have carved a space on the R&B and Soul music scene is Avery Sunshine.
Since her self-titled debut release ‘Avery Sunshine’ in 2010 and now her sophomore follow up CD, ‘The Sun Room’ (2014) she has had incredible success with her single, “Call My Name” recently reaching the number one position on the Billboard Urban Adult Contemporary chart.
For the past four years she has transformed and built a solid and loyal fan base around the country often being compared to Ledisi by taking over the ‘Neo Soul’ circuit through relationship building with local concert promoters, Independent music retailers and booking agents. Her business and songwriting partner, Dana “Big Dane” Johnson is a known fixture-wearing multiple hats from Road Manager to accompanying the singer on acoustic guitar while she sings and plays keyboard.
Based in Atlanta by way of Pennsylvania, Avery Sunshine became a powerful voice on the Atlanta music scene attending Spellman College as a Music Major and eventually building a great reputation as a choir director, musician and songwriter around town. Later collaborating with songwriting partner, Dana Johnson which led to forming their own independent label.
The breakout single, “Ugly Part of Me” was released; creating some moderate buzz among underground Soul music circles -eventually landing on the desk of Program Director of Chicago’s WVAZ/V103 radio station, Derrick Brown. Brown, a musician himself, took a chance adding the song to the Urban AC format. This decision, influenced other radio programmers soon after playing the independent artist’s single, without a major budget in place.
Immediately, the response was overwhelming and she found herself coming to Chicago for the first time to perform at the Shrine Nightclub.
Having formed some strong alliances with radio and music retailers such as Dedry Jones, owner of The Music Experience- Avery Sunshine has become a favorite and repeated fixture with R&B fans in a city that is known for its legendary musical history. Returning once again to perform a concert at The Promontory, we had a chance to catch up with her in Chicago to discuss her continued journey in the music business.
CD: Why is Chicago such a great market for you?
AS: Chicago was the place where my music was first heard on the radio-in a big kind of way. In Atlanta and maybe Houston but nothing like Chicago. Chicago was the lead; truly the lead in putting me on the map. I have not been in Chicago before this-I’ve been everywhere else but not Chicago yet. Now, I’m ready to move to Chicago! I love Chicago! I loooooooove Chicago!
CD: A few months ago, I attended a special Music Experience hosted by Dedry Jones to push your current CD project and the audience had such magnetic energy for you. Why do people gravitate to you outside of the music? What is the Avery Sunshine connection?
AV: I presume it’s just in being who I am. I’m pretty open. I’m the girl who my parents raised. I pray that people are getting that and what they are gravitating to. I don’t know (she laughs). I’m just grateful-I’m so grateful. The music that I’ve written on the side of my bed or in the car or on the way to work, in the bed or in between church services. There’s people that want to hear this music. I am so grateful. It really comes from experience-showing who I am to my music. I hope that people are encouraged to be who they are by what they hear me singing.
I think about it more because I have children now. Music plays such a huge part of their lives and their development. We are doing our world a disservice if we’re making music that is not ‘true’. I try to write from that true place- you don’t know whose listening. Why just tell the truth? Why not tell the truth when you sing?
You don’t know who you might uplift or having an epiphanized moment because of something you just said; just tell the truth because you can’t go wrong with that. I pray that is what people are getting and if that’s the case-that’s a blessing.
CD: You’ve been compared to Ledisi and how she built her following through the Neo Soul circuit- not pricing yourself out and making it unreasonable with key promoters? Do you still negotiate your deals the same way?
Absolutely! We don’t have any money to promise anyone- we have to be real. We can’t do that, it has to be what it is. It is based on if they like the music, if they liked the show…if they liked me. My Mother used to say, ‘Your personality will get you places that your talent won’t.’
I remembered that. She will always pin me up if she thought my attitude was getting little off. I pray that those relationships with people that we like or just like us. This work is based on making relationships and especially now with the music climate the way it is. The money isn’t flowing the same way. People aren’t buying the records the same way.
This industry is not as money driven as it was so people got to like you. Folks got to like your music. That’s what’s standing at the end of the day. Do I like what you stand for? That’s just being who you are…that is enough. BE WHO YOU ARE. PRACTICE YOUR GIFTS THE BEST WAY THAT YOU CAN. They will make room for you. That is it!
CD: What is your advice for artists that have been grinding but their progress is slow?
AV: It’s so interesting because I meet so many people. I mean people that are ‘worldly’ talented- do you hear me? They are trying to make it work, ‘Why isn’t this working for me-why isn’t it?’ We don’t know, we can’t pinpoint it; just keep working and be patient. There’s a few times, where I was like ‘Listen, I’m getting ready to go to Target and get a job. I’m tired of this.’ I can’t take care of my kids on a promise; they need to eat some real food. God has kept us and we’ve just remained faithful and patient.
My Mother had sent me a thing on Joel Osteen. She said, ‘You got to see this thing he talks about.’ She stays on facebook, so that’s her thing-she’s glued to it. He put a post on there, ‘If you feel that your gift has not made room for you yet, keep working it.’ Keep fine tuning it-if nothing works, maybe try something else. So, many of us may not always be doing the right thing. Keep fine tuning those gifts! It might be a little window there so keep going through that window. It might be a little crack but go through it. (She chuckles)
CD: How do you measure the success of “Call My Name” with a very scarce indie label marketing budget compared to your major label counterparts?
AV: We have a great working relationship and we made a great decision to partner with Shanachie Records. They have been absolutely supportive. Between the relationships with them, some radio-especially Chicago love. We have an amazing team! People who are just relentless-just some good people. When it reached Top 10, we were actually traveling to Tokyo and sitting in the airport when we received a phone call telling us that the song was Top 10 on Billboard. ‘God if you never do anything else, you’ve already done enough. Thank you God for blessing me.’ It kept going up the charts. To go ahead and make it to #1 and then it went to #2 and then it went back up! I am just so grateful.
CD: Do you think that people are demanding to hear music with substance when they finally hear your music on the radio?
AV: The stuff that I would hear growing up on the radio- Luther, Anita, and Michael and then here comes Whitney and then Michael McDonald would come on. If you turn the dial to another station, you may hear Cyndi Lauper and Madonna. We had everything. Everything! It was different and it was all great! What is unfortunate is that some people are in charge of what’s being played and they are not musicians- they are business people and I get it. If this particular thing works-let’s keep doing that but what ends up happening is you completely dilute the individuality of the music.
CD: Lastly, What gives you balance?
My children and my parents. I’m fortunate to have them all under the same roof with me. I always tease about it but it’s the truth, I can get home and tell my Mom, ‘Ah Mom, this show was amazing and I got to meet this person.’ She responds, ‘That’s so amazing…listen when you come in, can you cut my toe nails down?’ Did she just ask me to cut down her toe nails right now…I’m trying to explain to her who I was talking to last night? You want me to do that right now? (She laughs) It just keeps me grounded. My children are the same way, ‘Okay, all that stuff is cool but listen here, I got this thing in school this week, and can I go?’
In the end this is what keeps me grounded and I am grateful for that.
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