Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: As a kid I would sing in church with my mom and her family, so that’s where my musical journey started. As a teenager I played bass in a youth ministry band and sometimes played acoustic guitar as well. Once I got to my twenties, I had a difficult time dealing with hardships, so I started writing lyrics, and I’ve been doing it ever since then.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Avaraj”?
A: I don’t have much of a plan honestly. This all started because I want others to feel less alone in what they’re going through. Everyone needs connection, even if it’s with someone you’ve never met. During some of my worst times, my favorite music artists were the ones who gave me answers. Sometimes we’re too stubborn to listen to the people closest to us, and I think connecting with others through music helps break that barrier. I don’t have a grand scheme of how to take over the music industry—I just want to make heartfelt music.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: I listen to so many different genres, and it changes on a whim, so I don’t think there’s any specific artist who inspires me most right now. I’m always open to new ideas and trying new things with music, so anyone who is innovative is inspiring to me. Most of my inspiration for music is driven by my lyrics because they’re the most important part of the song to me. I try to make sure the music matches the vibe of the lyrics so it’s cohesive for the listener.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the album, “Til Death”?
A: “Til Death” tells the story of my inner thoughts as my marriage was crashing around me. My ex-husband and I were trying to conceive, and we never could. We never discussed how that hardship made us feel or how to cope with it. We failed at communicating, but as it was going on I felt like it was solely my fault. I started feeling like I took the chance for him to have a family away, and I was never able to look at him the same without feeling overwhelmed by guilt. When we first separated, I thought I needed out of the marriage for all the small arguments or issues we had, and it wasn’t until around two years later that I realized the infertility and miscarriages were causing the issues. The album is about the pain and guilt of losing something you once valued more than anything.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: I like to think it’s singer-songwriter colliding with elements of rap, pop, punk, and R&B. Sometimes even that doesn’t cover the span of what genres I do, but like I said, it’s all about the lyrics to me.
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “Til Death”?
A: I think the real challenges came while writing the songs because as I wrote them, I was starting to understand what my reality was. The songs were my subconscious coming forward, and it was a quite painful process. These songs all came naturally. There was no struggle to create the next line or find a rhyme scheme, it just flowed. Once the songs were completely written, I read what I wrote and lost it because it was the first time I was admitting the truth to myself. Each step of creating the songs broke my heart, but once I had the finished product it was like finding the missing pieces to a puzzle, and my healing began.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: The message of my music is “light in the darkness”. Even when someone feels lonely or is at their worst they can always find someone or something to connect to. For me that’s always been music. Songs are always up for interpretation, and there’s no one judging you. That’s the only goal I have for my music, to connect with others and make them feel less alone.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: That’s a great question… I’ve always really enjoyed listening to Kevin Garrett or Alec Benjamin, and I think their lyrics are quite meaningful, so I’d love to work with either of them.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: My advice is to buy some cheap equipment and get started. If you ever have any questions, I can tell you everything I know (which isn’t much). I’m here to connect with others and support them, so I’m always open to giving advice or collaborating with other artists.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: As an adult I try to embrace a stoic mindset, so my words of wisdom to my younger self would be to trust the process—life isn’t always easy, but sometimes the more difficult path is more rewarding. I wouldn’t change anything about the life I’ve had because the hardships I’ve faced made me the person I am today. I am constantly learning and improving that person, but I’d never want to take steps backwards.
LISTEN TO THE ARTIST:
Follow Avaraj:
Spotify – SoundCloud – YouTube – Instagram