Avra (singer)
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Avra |
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Avra Velis better known as Avra, is a multi award winning Australian-Greek alternative-pop singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, and record producer. She is noted for her ambitious music videos and stage performances as well as her intricate and provocative lyrics.
Since her debut in 1982, Avra has released numerous singles and albums. She has also written and appeared in several theatre productions and stage performances, including the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Life and career
Early life
Avra was born in Brisbane, Queensland. She was the only child born to Greek-Australian parents who immigrated from Kythera and Ithaca.
She was raised in an eccentric Greek environment in the northern Brisbane suburb of Hendra.
Avra's mother encouraged her renegade passion for the arts from an early age, enrolling her in after school piano lessons, speech and drama classes, whilst also studying greek language and culture. In addition to all of this she also took Avra to see numerous theatre productions, often three per week. Shows she saw included Liberace, Dame Joan Sutherland, Billy Joel, Lindsay Kemp and a myriad of other internationally acclaimed artists, each leaving a profound and indellible impression on the young Avra.
She was a straight-A student at Ascot State Primary School and went on to attend Brisbane State High School where she excelled in drama debating English and surprisingly almost failed music.
Professional career
After High School, Avra moved to Adelaide to pursue a Bachelor of Education but discovered that her real passion was to write and create music. After earning her degree she taught secondary English and drama at several South Australian schools, writing numerous school productions which proved to be hugely popular.
After 4 years of teaching, Avra became frustrated with the school system and sought a means to express her creativity more dynamically.
She left teaching and moved into the commercial music industry.
Starting Out
Avra's first band was called Virginia Wolf which she formed with her partner Steve Sutton who was at the time a well known Guitarist, songwriter, and Author, Rod Boothroyd (Bass Guitar). The cross-genre band largely produced eccentric alternative style pop songs which ultimately led them to win the West End Battle Of The Bands, a notable contest held in South Australia which gave the band their first taste of media exposure.
The band was awarded recording time and funds to further their profile however infighting led Avra and Steve to abandon the hope of an album and award the money received to the other band members. Virginia Wolf then went their separate ways. During this time Avra and Steve married. Steve was a long time sufferer of manic depression. This lead to him committing suicide. Devastated, Avra struggled to find her artistic place on her own and pledged that she would never again work in a band environment where she didn't have complete artistic control.
Solo career
After much soul searching and self discovery, Avra began working as an independant artist.
She entered her first song "Crazy Over You" into the SCALA (Songwriters, Composers and Lyricists Association's) song writing competition.
It was during this time that Avra became engaged and married for the second time.
She started work on a series of musical projects including a spiritual/alternative album titled "INNATE" which she produced for the international chiropractic fraternity. The highly acclaimed album was a success and was distributed throughout Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
After INNATE she returned to her Hellenic roots, and worked on another series of musical projects that explored her passion for Greek music and culture. This saw Avra perform at Sold Out concerts before thouands of people at Adelaide Festival Centre, Royalty Theatre, Adelaide Convention Centre and saw her continue on to perform at various venues in Melbourne and Sydney. Having now performed in front of large National Audiences Avra was well established in the Music Industry.
Other projects included the formation of the "Avralicious Show", under the musical direction of Corey Stewart.
This inspired a six track E.P. entitled "Super-alterego" which was recorded whilst Avra was in Adelaide. Produced by Damien Steel Scott, this led to a national tour including shows at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, where she won best song writer (2003).
All of the shows in Victoria were highly successfull and the tour moved onto New South Wales where the reception, although not as strong, was still well attended.
Avra was still relatively unknown to Queenslanders when the tour hit Brisbane. A combination of poor artist management and venue selection saw the show play to significally smaller audiences who were less appreciateive of Avras eccentric style.
Attendance was still strong enough however, to shift significant numbers of the CD and Avra has commented that this was the only redeeming factor of the Brisbane shows. The CD by this stage had shifted over 5000 units which was very encouraging to the independant artist.
However Avra's life was again falling into a dark period, where she questioned her abilites as a performer due to the inability to find a marketplace and financially succeed. During this period additional personal and financial pressures led to the demise of her second marriage. A period of intense self reflection followed but she couldnt resist the urge to write.
Return to the Limelight
Avra returned in 2004 with the highly acclaimed musical "Avra - The Musical". Described by Style Magazine as "Visually stunning and mentally unpacking" and by Scene Magazine as "A musical of a different calibre", it opened at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in December 2005 to a sell out audience.
The lyrics for all 16 of the songs were entirely composed by Avra, while the musical composition marked her first collaboration with dance music veteran Kevin Freeman.
Set to video screen backdrops created by Tim Rith and extravagant lighting designed by Hamish Cliff, the production was a combination of dance and theatre that won the hearts of all who attended.
A 20 track CD was produced and sold at the show, simply titled "Avra - The musical - Songs from the aclaimed musical".