Ava Raiin

Called an "audio-diva superhero" by Solange's blog Saint Heron, AVA RAIIN sounds like the future interpretation of Soul Music. Her self-titled debut album charted Billboard #9 on the Billboard R&B album sales chart, ranked highly on 4 other Billboard charts and debuted #6 R&B and Top 40 all genres on iTunes. This was done as an Indie with no major backing.

Over the last few years Ava has shared the stage and or collaborated with Blood Orange / Devonte Hynes, Carly Rae Jepsen, Solange , Melissa Etheridge , The Chainsmokers, Jack Antonoff / Bleachers , Lupe Fiasco, Chrisette Michele and others. The reason for her success with such a diverse range of collaborators is made apparent on this album & comes across as a fresh style that is difficult to put into any specific genre.

Her summer 2016 single and video ‘Eagle Eye’ received rave reviews from AfroPunk and was named Vimeo ‘Staff Pick’. Shortly after the release, her vocals on Blood Orange’s third album “Freetown Sound” also received positive reviews and mentions in Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Fader, Crack Magazine and others. Ava also sings on Blood Orange’s 2018 release “Negro Swan” on the track “Saint”.

Born a twin to teen parents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ava grew up in school choirs between Minneapolis with their single, working mom and with their dad, a pimp and entrepreneur, in the outskirts of Houston, Texas. After a very unconventional childhood Raiin attended the University of Texas (Austin) and moved to NYC where she collaborated with producers and made her rounds in the artist circuit singing at open mic nights. A series of fateful meetings and introductions led to worldwide touring gigs as a background singer with a range of artists across the spectrum. After gigging for a few years Raiin took a break from music and took a job as a full-time creative producer with an apparel brand in NYC, but would eventually give that up to tour with Solange and work on her own music full-time. Through a friend she was introduced to producer David Siskovic, “Sisko”, and they clicked instantly. The two (with support from her best friend, singer/songwriter Sye Elaine Spence and producer/songwriter Robert Maxwell) created a unique and abstract sound that supported Raiin’s poetic lyrics and entrancing vocals.