Inspired by Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Anita Baker, H.E.R, etc. The DMV AUX presents to you, the soulful radiant R&B singer, Taylor Avonté.
Taylor was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland where she attended Cardinal Shehan School and initiated her start in music. “My school had a performing arts camp that I would participate in every year, engaging in drama and choir.”
Growing up, Taylor admits she spent a lot of her time singing. “I have so many home-videos of me singing destiny's child.”
In addition, she is not the only one in her family with talent - several of her family members share the same love for singing; “my cousin sings, my grandmother was a part of a musical group, etc. Pretty much everyone on my dad's side is talented,” she stated.
At the age of 12, Taylor and her cousin created a YouTube channel covering song that began to gain a lot of traction, we had a lot of attention, we would go to the mall, and people would follow us into stores,” Taylor shared. Initially, this idea came from witnessing Justin Beiber’s discovery off of Youtube at the time. “I knew I could hold a tune, so I was really just doing it, to do it. We didn’t take in the fact that any and everyone could watch. It was just fun for us, but we ended up receiving a lot of attention, so I soon started taking it seriously,” Taylor stated.
However, in 9th/10th grade, she suddenly stopped, but was moved to continue after a friend persuaded her to pick it back up. Taylor soon found herself in the studio writing and recording music and using Instagram as a way to post covers and expand her audience. “One day, a notable celebrity re-posted a cover of mine on his page, and I ended up receiving 2,000 followers from that one post,” Taylor shared.
Taylor now attends Morgan State University in her hometown, majoring in multi-platform production. Considering that her major deals with media, Taylor stated that she’s able to use/have many resources when it comes to her music. “I know so many photographers, videographers, editors, etc.; In all, it makes balancing my musical career and school easier than normal.” After graduating, she hopes to pursue music full time.
Regarding the DMV music scene, she feels as though they don’t get a lot of attention and recognition they deserve. “We have Rico Nasty and others, but they’re not physically here anymore; the DMV is like a ‘gray zone’,” Taylor commented.
Two years from now, she has goals to attend/perform at the BET Awards, open up for A-B list artists, and release her anticipated EP. “Look at Megan Thee Stallion, before to some, her name probably didn't ring a bell, but now she's one of the hottest spotlighted artists,” Taylor commented.
Aside from music, Taylor is a fashionista, Youtuber, and is passionate about fitness. “I used to do kickboxing (not competitively) and train others in the gym as well,” Taylor stated. She also prefers to workout in the gym at night, three times a week, consecutively, “It’s fewer people at night, which means fewer stares.” In addition, she’s also very much into nutrition!
When it comes to advice for aspiring artists, Taylor would tell them to be consistent and never give up. “People's attention spans are low now in days, so you have to be consistent.”
If you’re truly passionate about your craft, give 150% to it! “Consistency is key,” Taylor concluded.
Read more about Taylor Avonté with a closer look below.
If you could hang out with any celebrity for a full day, who would it be and why?
SZA or Jhene Aiko; I met SZA and she’s very down to earth! On the other hand, I would love to sit with Jhene Aiko and discuss/learn about her writing skills.
What movie can you watch over and over again?
The Lion King! Not the new one and I have yet to see it, but the old one.
I hate animation, but that’s my favorite movie.
What’s one of your biggest pet peeves?
My biggest pet peeve is when a person doesn’t follow through with their actions.
If you say your going to do something, do it.
What’s one thing you wish you didn’t have to pay for?
Gas and my car note!
What song do you currently have on replay?
“21” by H.E.R, “Up Late” by Ari Lennox, and “How You Want It?” by Teyana Taylor featuring King Combs.
What’s your favorite tattoo on your body?
I have five tattoos, but my favorite tattoo is a drawing of a lion on my calf.
My mother was a fashion merchandising major, so I grew up around a lot of cheetah prints, fur, and etc. I really love lions and cheetahs and they’re very beautiful.
On a scale from 1-10, the pain level was a 10 and it took two hours.
Magnified topic of the week: Taylor Avonté’s single “Red Lights”
Ever thought about running red lights to get to your significant other? I hope not, but if so, this single is for you!
This song came to Taylor one night at a traffic light. “I just thought to myself, “Red lights”, hmmh, “Red lights”, then I began to build the story of running lights to see someone you want badly,” Taylor shared.
This single interpolates the late Aaliyah single “Come Over” well with her smooth alluring sound, setting the tone perfectly for a late night vibe.
Stay tuned for her new single dropping this Friday featuring a member from the CreekBoyz! In the meantime, click play below to listen to Red Lights!
Written by Dejah Moné