We chatted with Avatari, the solo project of musician, actor, and songwriter Ari Welkom, about his music including his newest single “Saturday Night.”
Avatari goes into detail about his sound, music influences and his creative process. Check out what he had to say below!
What can you tell us about your new single?
“Saturday Night” is a summer fun, young love, upbeat dancey anthem. It’s a little out of character for me – I usually write more mid-tempo, soul searching songs that have an edge and a little darkness to them. But after the birth of my son, I was inspired to make a song that had pure good vibes. Just fun and innocent. I also felt like we could all use a bit of that kind of energy right now.
When people listen to your music, what are you hoping they get out of it?
I’m hoping they feel seen and connected to something bigger. I’m hoping they feel free to be their hidden selves. I’m hoping they might feel inspired to dig deep inside themselves and find that hidden dream that maybe they’ve not felt worthy of pursuing, and they go out and dive headfirst into it. I know those are some pretty lofty hopes, but why not. That’s the place that I create from.
How would you describe the sound of your music?
It’s alternative rock with a conscious message. My earliest influences are bands from the ‘60s and ‘70s – bands like The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, and Pink Floyd. I don’t think my music “sounds” like theirs necessarily, but I do feel heavily influenced by the themes of that era – finding inner freedom, experiencing true spiritual love, transcending time and space. Sonically I relate to bands like Imagine Dragons, Twenty One Pilots, and Awolnation. A modern alt-pop sound with big hooks, nice grooves, and an edge. One of my earliest influences was Michael Jackson. The power and soulfulness of his music and also the way he used the music video medium to take the story of the song to a whole new level. That’s what I aspire to do. Some of my other favorites are U2 and Bob Marley – the power and depth of their universal message. I also love the rawness of bands from the ‘90’s like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine, Radiohead. I’m influenced by all of these artists and many more.
Did you always know that music was something you wanted to pursue?
I did from very early on. I had the chance to play Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti” at a grade school talent show and it felt amazing and there was really no turning back. That being said, I majored in Economics in college to see if I could try a more “normal” career. But this helped me to re-discover what my passion was and reminded me that I needed to follow my heart.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?
Follow your dreams and don’t give up. Surround yourself with good people who support you and who’ll tell you the truth. Spend as much time and money on the business as you do on your music. Find a mentor that you respect, in every aspect of what you do. And connect with a higher purpose in your art and your mission.
What is your favorite song to perform live?
Maybe “Legacy.” It’s the first song I wrote, recorded, and released as Avatari and it always seems to resonate live. I think it really puts my message front and center: “what’s your legacy?” Essentially, your life is in your own hands, so what will you do with it?
Can you describe your creative process when you’re writing new music?
It usually starts with a melody, a lyric or two, an emotion, and maybe an image. Then I just follow the thread. Expand the melody – if the initial inspiration was the chorus, then I find the verse and the pre-chorus. Whatever the initial lyric is, I start to brainstorm on that with the melody that goes along with it. I get a first draft out. Verse, pre-chorus, chorus. Verse 2, pre-chorus, chorus 2. Maybe a bridge. Then the real work begins. The editing part. I comb through and tear out the parts that feel trite or too easy and I work on elevating them. I want it to sound familiar, but not heard before. I also want to make sure that everything is driving toward the feeling and message and resolution of the song. Finally I look at the structure and the arrangement and make sure it flows, with a little surprise here and there that feels appropriate to the genre. I do all of that, and then I bring it to a producer who can help fill in any gaps, give it a few awesome twists, and elevate the song to a whole new level.
What has been the best advice someone has given you about music?
I’ve had a lot of great advice. But recently a couple things have stuck out for me. One – be open to collaboration. Collaborating with the right people can really raise your skill set. And two, always seek to improve your craft. Oh yeah, and be creative in how you market yourself.
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