NZMM Catch-Up: Avya Grace

Avya Grace is a Mangawhai-born, Auckland-based artist. She is no stranger to music and performing, having played locally for a number of years.

Her writing is honest, candid, and sincere – self-analysis narrated in a style reminiscent of CS Lewis. Avya’s vocals are deep, complex, expressive, and beautifully non-traditional. These two elements are married in her debut EP, ‘Voicemail’. 

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We gave ‘Voicemail’ a listen and personally loved that it was only 3 tracks. Even though this isn’t exactly new to her, it is almost like an introduction to Avya Grace and her incredible voice. The EP is somewhat raw and the sound & feel makes it so personal – We felt like we were just sitting in her room with her as she jammed or something. You should all definitely check it out!

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Check out our little catch-up with Avya Grace below:

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1. Happy NZ Music Month! How did you initially get into creating music?
Thank you! Growing up in a musical family, I was always surrounded by my siblings and their friends playing music, and I loved the way it brought them all together. When I was seven years old, I snuck into my brother’s room and stole his guitar – and I haven’t looked back since. 
I immediately knew I had a thing for music. When I was ten, I started to write melodies to my father’s song lyrics, as I wasn’t sure where to even begin with forming entire songs on my own. I soon began to write my own songs, and by the time I was thirteen, I had better learnt how to express myself through my music. Song writing became my deepest passion, and I’ve been chasing my muse ever since. 

2. Tell us about your inspirations & motivations?
Growing up listening to incredible Kiwi artist such as Brooke Fraser and Bic Runga, I was inspired from a young age and knew that I wanted to pursue music.
As a kid, I’d save my busking money to go see Brooke Fraser play live at every opportunity. Watching her, I’d always be so in awe of the way in which she could captivate and touch an entire audience with her voice, and an instrument. I knew that I wanted my music to have that same kind of impact. 
I believe music has a power that transcends that of many other mediums. It makes you feel all sorts of things. This is the belief that motivates me to remain completely honest and transparent in my songwriting. 

3. What have you been up to in this lockdown and how has it affected you?
This whole situation has given me some crazy perspective on a lot of things – shedding a lot of light on how much I took for granted. Though I’ve obviously had a lot of gig cancellations, it’s been incredible to see how people within the music industry, and wider community have gathered together and supported one another throughout this time – there that be through live streams, support networks or fundraising pages etc. 
A week into lockdown, I decided to put this EP together. All the songs were written and recorded within the same 8sqm of my very small bedroom! Having a project to focus on has been so helpful for my mental health during this time, but also something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time so I’m stoked. 

4. What do you think of the NZ music scene?
I love it, and I’m so proud to be a part of it. There’s nothing more satisfying than scrolling through Spotify’s latest and greatest playlists, and seeing so many incredible Kiwi musicians dominating. It feels homely, and unlike anywhere else in the world. Everyone wants to see their mates succeed, and be there to support and encourage one another. 

5. Goal board time – where would you like to see yourself in a years time?
Honestly, I’d love to be regularly collaborating with others within the industry, growing and developing as an artist and releasing incredible songs. As simple as it sounds, writing songs and being able to perform them is what makes me tick, so if in a year I’m able to do that in a larger capacity – I will be a very happy bean.

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