Prelude Press
Prelude Press – An independent music outlet focused on discovering and sharing the best emerging artists and diving deeper with the ones you already love.
A thrilling new voice in R&B today, singer and songwriter Avenoir has released his debut album, Mirage today via LISTEN TO THE KIDS. In celebration, he shares the music video for his track “Lady” directed by Arvin Farsyad. The breathtaking body of work was born from a longstanding collaboration with close friends and peers Maz B and YMX Beats who imagined a striking collection of songs that capture an intimate portrait of the human journey by the young Avenoir, marking his brilliant ascent into the larger music arena and an essential player in R&B today.
Mirage houses a string of scintillating singles such as “Art Of War” which was lauded by Billboard, who said it was a “sparkling alt-R&B fantasia complete with ebullient synths and lush keyboard chords cradling his breathless falsetto” and “Prince-esque”. It also includes previous standalone single “Heaven” featuring Houston-born singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bryant Barnes and his latest, the guitar driven ballad “Alone.”
Injecting a breath of fresh air into the exhilarating R&B space with his singular sound, Avenoir arrives as a force to be reckoned with as he brilliantly fuses future-facing sonic elements with his love for striking live instrumentation that remains at the core of his songs for music that transcends time and genre confines making him standout in the genre. His voice is honey-drenched and haunting, weaving between contemporary R&B, alt-soul, and a touch of nostalgic ‘90s influence.
The Edmonton-based 23-year-old first generation artist is the child of Nigerian and Zambian parents who passed on their love for music to Avenoir and his siblings. His first venture into music began when he started playing piano in church with his mother, a powerful songstress in the church, as a way to fortify their relationship. At a young age, he also discovered a deep love for poetry during the second grade and soon after started making music from scratch as a kid. He drew from the sounds he was surrounded by growing up which included the rock and alternative music of his father and the soul and R&B of his mother, both of which have come to inform his one-of-a-kind sound.