Representative Songs: "Read Your Mind," "4 Minutes," "Makin' Good Love"
Biography
Hailed as the "new voice of ghetto soul" and acknowledged as the first act signed to NBA great Magic Johnson's Magic Johnson Music, Cleveland native Avant celebrated the MCA Records release of his debut album, My Thoughts, on May 2, 2000. Around the same time, the 22-year-old singer/songwriter was enjoying a Top Five Billboard R&B/hip-hop hit single, "Separated." The video for the song was getting massive play on cable channels BET and The Box. Avant's style of modern soul owes heavily to singer R. Kelly. Originally, Avant's manager, Eric Payton, released "Separated" in January 1998 on his Payton Entertainment label. The single began getting airplay on top-rated radio station WGCI in Chicago before eventually being included on the 1999 MCA compilation Summer Heat. The singer/songwriter wrote "Separated" based on his feelings following a failed romantic relationship. Avant felt that the Lord had blessed him enough for being allowed to put his sadness down on paper. Recorded in Chicago, My Thoughts was produced by accomplished multi-instrumentalist Steve Huff. Huff and Avant's overall high-quality musicianship gives My Thoughts a refreshing depth. The cover of René & Angela's 1983 R&B ballad classic "My First Love" stands out with a wonderfully swirling string arrangement by veteran Chicago arranger Tom Tom Washington (aka Tom Tom 84). The slammin' song "Reaction" contains a rhythm guitar sample from Issac Hayes' 1974 hit "Wonderful." In 2002, a new album again featuring production from Steve Huff, Ecstasy, was released on Johnson's subsidiary. Private Room followed in 2003 and Director in 2006; both albums spawned a clutch of Top 20 R&B singles. He then jumped to Capitol, which issued Avant's self-titled album in 2008. Upon its release, lead single "Break Ya Back" was also in the Top 20 of the R&B chart. ~ Ed Hogan, All Music Guide
Myron Avant (born April 26, 1978), better known simply as Avant is a multi-platinumAmericanR&B singer. Avant, despite some rumours that he is, is in no way family-related to the famed R&B singer, R. Kelly, but he acknowledges high comparison and cites the R&B icon as his biggest influence and aspiration[1]. A graduate of the Cleveland School of the Arts in 1995 where he majored in theater, he is best known for hits such as "Separated" (the remix to which features Kelly Rowland), "My First Love," which one version features Ketara Wyatt, and "Read Your Mind" (remix featuring Snoop Dogg on the extended promo vinyl). He was featured in the remix to the Lloyd Banks song "Karma" from the 2004 album The Hunger for More, and has also had a cameo appearance in the 2004 feature filmBarberShop 2: Back in Business.
He also did a remix of The Pussycat Dolls song "Stickwitu." He stated that he refused to cooperate with The Pussycat Dolls at first until they offered him a better contract and to perform it and sing his way for a better single. Avant has also appeared on the Oxygen Network reality TV show Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency when he asked Janice to have models dance with him during the release party of the album Director.
