Avé

Social Media: @Officiallyave
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Avé grew up in a Christian family and began singing in church at age six. At 11, they joined the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale, where the singer’s uncommon vocal talent blossomed and where they learned complex musical skills such as up to eight-part vocal harmonies and live performance. As a teenager, Avé toured the world with the choir, visiting four continents and finding a safe haven while their parents were undergoing a painful divorce.


They launched a solo career in 2011 and released two independent albums—2012’s The Real ME and 2015’s SPelChek—as Matt Edwards. More recently, the singer joined the Philadelphia-based, philanthropic record label, The Giving Groove, rebranding and changing their stage name to Avé. 
 
The new name signifies the singer’s comfort embracing their true identity. “I’m just freer and more comfortable performing the music because I’m performing it as me,” says Avé. “And saying ‘Be who you are,’ while I’m being who I am. I feel like I can say it with a different fervor because I know the pains and the struggles of what that means and what that could cost. It doesn’t mean the road will be easy. But it’s a road worth taking.”