Exclusive Interview: Simply Avant…

Posted on December 29th, 2008 by by Melody

avantinterview

I guess it had to be a year ago or so that I logged on to MySpace and see a bulletin from Avant… He’s back and on Capitol Records. I was just thinking to myself, ‘where is Avant?’ I missed his voice in R&B so as you can imagine, I was quite pleased to hear that new music would be coming from him this year.

His debut single from his fifth album, simply titled Avant, “When It Hurts” has been steady in spins since the Fall. So I jumped at the chance to get one-on-one with the R&B crooner. We talked about the new album, his recent trip to Iraq, and much much more.

Part 1

Continue reading to check out out the rest of exclusive interview with Avant!

Melody: It’s been two years since Director came out, so what have you been doing over the last two years?

Avant: Actually, what I was doing was, I was trying to get into the movie game too. I was in the “L Train” with Cedric the Entertainer, doing Barbershop 2. Then I spinned off that and did First Sunday, on the DVD version with me and Morris Chestnut. So I was just really trying to get my acting going as well. Just to have two different entities going at one time.

But every time I would go grocery stores and movies, they would be like ‘yo, we need an album from you!’ So I really got back in the game and just to give my people a great album and some great energy. I’m with another record label, that’s what took me a little minute too, to switch over the labels. I was at Geffen Records, now I’m on Capital just trying to give them good music. That’s what I’m here for.

Melody: Good music is always appreciated. You are on your fifth album and it’s self-titled, Avant, so why don’t you tell those that may not know why you titled this album simply, Avant.

Avant: Well the reason is, it’s 2008 so this is a whole other thought process. Especially for a song writer, for myself, I’ve been writing the material up to this point, I just felt like right now, this is the 2008 Avant. Plus I’ve never self-titled an album and I’m on a new record label so this is something definitely for them. For the record label, this is the type of artist that they have.

Melody: So who are some of the producers that you have worked with on this album?

Avant: I worked with Anonymous Records, those guys worked with me on “4 Minutes” on the last album and they also worked me on this new album and with the hit single “When It Hurts.” And I worked with a cat named Dante Winslow; he’s real hot out of Baltimore. I worked with Mr. Collipark from Atlanta, and Smurf. I worked with The Architects, The Architects were on Missy’s last album. So the album is real diverse, it has that element of ‘I love you, you love me. I hate you, you hate me’ that everyone know and love me for.

Melody: “When It Hurts” is so truthful, I love that song because if you can love someone when it hurts, and sometimes is does hurt, and make it through that…

Avant: That’s how you know the relationship is real. Everybody is watching reality TV, I feel like I should bring some reality to music. If you can love me when it hurts, then that’s when I think we should stick around and make it official.

Melody: Now you have another very real song called “Break Ya Back” and you have a viral video that has created quite a buzz, I must say. When they sent me the stills for it about a week before it came out, I was like ‘Umm… what is this, can I put this out?’

Avant: Well it was just me. I just wanted to say something different, instead of just saying ‘making love’ or doing anything like that. I’m just saying ‘You, I’ll break ya back. I wont send you to a chiropractor but you will be satisfied when you in the room with me!’ So I aim to please. That’s all basically what the record is, all the ladies want to ask me, what do you do in those four walls and you have a young lady. So I just felt like I could write this record and everybody can get an understanding.

Melody: Well, I think you have put an image everybody’s minds, so I am sure are plenty of people that are intrigued, if they weren’t before, they are surely now!

So what are some other songs that are on the album?

Avant: I love this record called, “Y.O.U” basically all the women tell me ‘I want to be with you.’ Well I explain what type of guy I am on the record. In the second verse I say, “that’s enough about me, I’m not the only one with needs.” So I want to know exactly what type of woman you are. So it’s just a relationship record saying ‘listen, I’m willing to make this work if you’re going to be truthful with me.’

“Sailing,” a wonderful rendition of “Sailing.” my man Christopher Cross, he wrote a beautiful record. I just tried my best not to mess it up and I did my rendition of “Sailing.”

Melody: I will have to say, “Sailing” has to be my favorite off of the album.

Avant: Thank you. Thank you very much.

Melody: After I listened to the whole album, I put that one on repeat and listen to it 10 more times. Very, very beautiful song.

Part 2

So you did recently travel to Iraq, so why don’t you tell me about that experience for you.

Avant: Wow, the travel to Iraq was amazing. When we landed, we landed in Kuwait. Kuwait is a functioning city, like ours in the U.S. But they told us that at 5 o’clock in the morning we would be traveling over to Baghdad. So we get in the plane, they tell me it’s goingto be a drastic change. My God, when we got to the plane and got over there, it was like wow! War zone. So we got there safely and had to stay on the camp. On base, basically we had to stay in trailors, it was kind of weird. I never stayed in a trailor home, but we stayed in a trailor home and gave us some briefings like… ‘look you can’t go jogging,’ because I like to go running and do all that but none of that, you can’t do that and if something happens we all have to report back here so we can do ahead count. So it was really serious, but I just wanted to go over there becuase I was tired of listening to CNN and them telling me what they wanted me to hear. So I went over there and I was blessed also to stay in one of Sadam’s guest palaces too, beacuse we took everything over over there.

3046934396_7106e0dbb9_o

Wow! It was deep, it was really deep. And I would go back again, just for the troops, you know because they are fighting every day for us while we were over here fighting over gas prices and arguing about that, they’re wondering if they’ll see the next day. So big ups to the troops over there and hopefully they can get back home soon.

Melody: Speaking of troops coming home and the current state of this country, where were you on November 4th?

Avant: Ah man, November 4th was amazing! I was actually in Oakland , California . Mr. Barack did his thing and I didn’t know to cry, to run, jump, because I had to perform that night in front of five thousand. So I just basically pulled myself together and did my business but it was just a touching moment. Out of all the things that I people have fought for, it finally becoming true and I don’t hear no more from our people about ‘such-and-such is holding us down.’ No, now you can see you can do anything. He gave us a sense of yes, your voice do matter. I always voted but I voted with the open mind that it might not work or whatever, but he definitely showed us that it work and he blew dude out the water with just his early votes.

Melody: Yeah, I was happy to see that it was no if, ands or buts about it. Everyone went into it thinking this was going to a two-week process, we’re just going to have to hold out and for him to just blow it out the water was absolutely amazing.

Are you planning on trying to make out to the Inauguration?

Avant: Well I’m working, but if I can find some time to shut down I would but it ain’t looking to good right now.

Melody: Well you have to work to so I understand that one.

So like you say, 7 years, 5 albums deep in this industry, how do you think that the industry has changed in your opinion?

Avant: It’s changed drastically; the industry is totally different from when I came in. I came in 2000. It’s a whole different look. I had a lot of heavy hitters in the game from the Joes to the Brian McKnights, R. Kellys. Everybody that had a name was in the game and when I was talking to Slim [from 112] and he was saying we lived through a lot of stuff. I think we have some good artists now but I think the lanes are wide open now. It’s more of a variety of artist now, they can get respect if they respect themselves. I just think it’s a good look right now and I think everybody got their own time and their own shine and that’s the way I like it.

Melody: So how do you stay relevant musically because like you said, it is changing and the lanes are wide open and almost blurry.

Avant: I would say this, you have to come with reality. It’s cool to have a six month hit but when don’t nobody want to hear it again, they definitely will forget about you. But when you have music, and it’s timeless and people remember your songs and remember you and how you brought it across. That’s what gives you a fan base and that’s what makes you a legend in the game. I’m trying to roll off into legend status one day.

Melody: When you talk about songs that you remember and never forget, one song that you have with KeKe Wyatt, “My First Love” I think that’s standard in R&B history especially as far as duets, so you worked with KeKe Wyatt, Kelly Rowland, Lil’ Wayne, so you have worked with a lot of people. Is there someone you haven’t worked with that you are just dying to work with?

Avant: Well I wanted to work with my man, Michael Jackson for a minute, but that might not be happening. But big ups to Mike, I’m a big fan of his. I’ve worked with so many great people honestly, so I look at it like this, if you want to make reality music, come on, bring it on, we can make it happen.

Part 3

Melody: You did branch out into the movies, is that something that you plan on doing in the future.

Avant: Most definitely, I’m trying to let my face be seen on the big screen. It’s one of the main courses in this whole meal. Basically I just want to give people great music right now though. I love R&B to death and there are some great fans out there who respect it coming through the radio and I want to keep that radio alive.

Melody: That’s always good, we love good music, it’s always appreciated. Now that we got the music down, lets get into some of the fun things that I’m sure my readers are really looking to know, like are you single, married, looking?

Avant: I’m definitely single, I got a 5-year old son, but I’m single and ready to mingle. Trying to find that one for me.

Melody: I’m sure a lot of people will be happy to hear that one. So it’s the holidays, what are you Christmas plans?

Avant: My Christmas plans re just to be happy, make sure little man get’s everything he needs. Try to help my sisters with their kids and their toys and stuff and everything of that nature. Just try to be the best Santa Claus that I can be.

Melody: Now you say you have sisters, are you the only boy, how many siblings do you have?

Avant: Six of us all together, three boys, three girls. The ghetto Brady Bunch, we had everything but the money.

Melody: That’s funny, where are you from?

Avant: I’m from Ohio actually, Cleveland , Ohi .

Melody: You’re going to be out on the road, where can people find your tour dates?

Avant: I am trying to set up something right now. I’m trying to go out with one more star, so I’m trying to find the right person. I’m going to do something! I’m definitely going to have it all posted it up on the board on my MySpace. You can it out, I have pictures up there from the war in Iraq , all types of different stuff I put up there. As you can see I got the video up on there.

I really appreciate you guys for supporting the music as much as you do and loving me as an artist. It’s because of you that I am in the position that I’m in.

Make sure you also check out AvantMusic.net for more on Avant!

Share and Enjoy: