My name is Aviana And The Pure Root, and I’m a Rock, Soul, and Afrofuturist artist. I’m a singer, songwriter, guitar player, and producer. My musical influences are what I call the big three, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, and Bob Marley. Those three are at the top for me. I also love Billie Holiday. As far as contemporary artists, I love Chronixx and other conscious roots reggae revival artists, WizKid, and other afrobeat giants like Tiwa Savage and then artists who actually play instruments and are true performers like Masego, Adi Oasis, Willow Smith, Kelsey Lu, Curtis Harding, Gary Clark Jr., and the Black Pumas. In terms of sound, I love ‘60s rock, ‘90s, and early 2000s rock. I love soul artists from the ‘70s, disco, Motown, classic and psychedelic jazz, the blues, and roots reggae.
I’m super excited to debut my newest single called “On & On.” It’s an energetic and upbeat love song about soul mates and joy. It’s available on all major streaming platforms starting September 30, 2022, and make sure you subscribe to my YouTube to see the official visualizer for the song.
“I’ve encountered a lot of soul mates from previous lifetimes in this lifetime. It’s a real thing and I think we should talk more about it, because it can help us to stop repeating unhealthy patterns and clinging to someone who we ultimately are not supposed to be with. It can also however, if it’s meant to be and in alignment, help to heighten our spirituality, amplify our purpose and really invigorate our lives. I’m a true romantic at the end of the day.”
Tell us about the inspiration behind your new single “On & On.”
I wrote “On & On” in 2021 when I got back from a family trip to Kemet, or what they call today, Egypt. I came back to LA to my home in Venice and was just on fire with all the energy I had just downloaded from frolicking around Pyramids, temples, and such. I ended up being courted by this guy as I was riding my bike down the boardwalk on the beach one day, and the encounter inspired me so much that I went home and wrote the song.
The song is about this idea of recognizing soul mates from previous lifetimes who you continuously meet up with in different lives. Being able to recognize each other by the vibe, you know? Like through eye contact or just a highly spiritual connection. I think a lot of these relationships aren’t meant to last forever, lol, because we may not need to repeat a relationship again in this lifetime, but I think it’s possible to make it work again or at least to be aware of these kinds of occurrences. To understand patterns and maybe lessons that we need to learn. Beyond that, the song is ultimately about attracting your divine partner and how good I imagine that feels.
What was the songwriting and recording process?
Writing “On & On” was pretty easy; the lyrics and melody just poured out of me. I’m really in this joyful space about how good life can be and finding the right partner to amplify it even more. When I wrote it, it felt like a new beginning in regard to my music-this embodiment of joy. I record and co-produce most of my music in my hometown of St. Louis with my engineer WhoisTimothy, so I did a demo of the track in the summer of 2021. I came back a few times over the course of the year and finally finished this summer. The studio is always like, heaven for me, and I had a lot of fun coming up with the accompanying instrumentation for the record, laying the guitar lines, and coming up with the background vocals. This, along with most of my other music, is recorded in 432 Hz tuning to help elevate the vibe and channel the frequency of the earth.
What do you hope your fans/listeners take away with them when they listen to your music?
I hope people feel a lot of joy. Especially for my Black listeners-joy is one of the biggest antidotes to our liberation. I want people to feel in love with being in love or to feel in love with the idea of finding true love. It’s a song that really gives you that sparkly and dewy-eyed sensation if you allow it. And I want people to dance and let loose! “On & On” feels like freedom!
When did you first pick up the guitar, and what drew you to that instrument?
I was gifted my first guitar in high school by my uncle Charles. I didn’t really start learning until 2015. I picked up the guitar because I wanted to be like Prince.
Speaking of instruments, what brand(s) do you play and why?
Fender is my favorite brand because of the clear and buttery sound. I love the amps, and I love the guitars. I have a baby blue Fender Blues Jr. tube amp and a Fender Squier teal guitar that I play the most. I’ve also had my eyes on this Steve Vai Ibanez guitar in white and gold because it’s just super fly, and I love the sound.
Will you be touring in support of your new music?
Yes, both domestically and internationally.
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