Ava Raiin

Singer and songwriter Ava Raiin terms her sound ethereal R&B, though it undersells the lucid and immediate qualities that typify most of her vocals. Raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Houston, Texas, Raiin was deeply involved with choirs and settled in New York City after she attended the University of Texas at Austin. Open-mike performances resulted in extensive work as a touring background vocalist, including stints with Melissa Etheridge and Solange. Raiin also contributed to a handful of recordings, most notably Blood Orange's Freetown Sound -- the album featured her voice on four songs -- and eventually focused on her own work. Assisted by producer David Siskovic, as well as songwriter Sye Elaine Spence and songwriter/producer Robert Maxwell, Raiin recorded a brief self-titled album released independently in 2017. ~ Andy Kellman