Avery Raquel: Keeping the Music Playing During Lockdown

Avery Raquel has been on stage since she was seven years old. At 19, this Billboard chart artist has performed in renowned jazz haunts such as Birdland in New York City and in festivals all over North America. When the Covid 19 pandemic hit, live performances went the way of the dodo. Avery has refused to let her music be silenced. She's created a live stream on YouTube to stay connected with her audience and give other musicians a new stage to play on. The Quarantini Cocktail Hour invites musical guests from all over the globe to talk, play, and sing about their lives on lockdown. With three seasons in, what started as a summer hobby is now her main outlet. This video gives a look into how music and creativity can thrive in times of Zoom and Gloom.

Avery Raquel, 19, is a singer and songwriter. She started singing only at 4, and she is already a Billboard-charting artist. One day she went to see “Annie” on stage with her parents. When they came back home, she memorized all the songs and later performed an elaborate dance show for her parents in her bedroom. It was the combination of singing and dancing, old musical theatre songs and artists like Ella Fitzgerald that got her into jazz.

This young Canadian singer and a songwriter now holds three albums in her name. Her song “Pieces” even peaked at the top 30 on the Billboard Dance Club chart. Currently, she is studying at Humber college, producing music and a live-stream YouTube show. She is slowly transitioning to, in her words, “Alternative Soul.” Songs with cool chord progressions but staying in the realm of jazz. From Dancing in a school recital at five to singing in front of 45,000 people at a Blue Jays game, Avery is a talented young upcoming artist.

Hold on to Today was written pre-pandemic. Its composer, Avery Raquel says the words have renewed meaning during these trying times. This non-narrated podcast takes you through its journey.

What started out as encouragement for a hurting friend, blossomed into its impact on a frontline nurse two years later. Featured is co-writer Greg Kavanagh, her multiple Juno award-winning producer and artist developer. His work spans the music industry from artists like Shawn Mendes to Aretha Franklin. Raquel credits him with introducing her to “the world of songwriting.” Hold on to Today is a ballad with a universal quality and a feel reminiscent of 70s soul music.