Singer-songwriter Aynoni’s influences range from pop and soul to indie folk
In line with the brand’s ongoing commitment to elevating new music from emerging musicians around the world, the annual Gibson Artist Spotlight program will showcase an evolving roster of musicians who will be featured across Gibson global and international channels.
The Artist Spotlight program debuted in January 2024 with Austin Sexton, and recently added Mona Lindgren, Alex Ritchie, Zach Person, and Devon Thompson to the ranks. Now it welcomes Ayoni.
Ayoni is a multifaceted singer, songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist from Barbados, making waves across the music industry. With her soaring, soulful pop/R&B vocal stylings, Ayoni has garnered millions of streams and has received widespread acclaim from prominent publications such as Ones To Watch, The Fader, Essence, V Magazine, and more. Having lived in Singapore, Indonesia, and the United States, she developed a global worldview, absorbing a variety of experiences while nurturing her ever-evolving passion for creating and performing music.
In June 2023, Ayoni made her big screen debut at the Tribeca Film Festival, starring in the documentary Uncharted, produced by Alicia Keys and She Is The Music. The film follows her journey and those of other BIPOC women creators in the music industry. She would go on to release a song titled “Purpose,” which she wrote during the film’s making.
Ayoni has collaborated with other creatives such as Ricky Reed, Snakehips, Full Crate, Michael Calfan, and Kabwasa. She is a featured artist on two songs on Noname’s critically acclaimed “Sundial” album, and in October of 2023, she performed the song “boomboom” with Noname on NPR’s Tiny Desk.
In December 2023, Ayoni was chosen as an artist in residence for the Sofar Sounds London Residency. She was recently selected for the 2024 Gibson Guitar Artist Spotlight program and released a music production and vocal pack with Splice.
As she prepares to step into her next creative chapter, Ayoni will release her next single, “Bitter In Love,” and her debut album is slated for the summer of 2024.
We caught up with Ayoni to find out more.
How would you describe your music?
“I would describe my music as left-of-center pop/soul. I think there’s an alternative edge to my musical approach, but whether electronic, folk/indie, or neo-soul, there are pop sensibilities that bleed through.”
What is your favorite piece of gear?
“I’ve really enjoyed using the Gibson J-45. It’s a very hearty and organic sound and also has the kind of warmth I love from an acoustic. I played it for the first time in NYC last summer, and it created the most beautiful sound for some of my favorite songs.”
What has been the highlight of your musical career so far?
“The highlight of my musical career thus far has been performing Bitter in Love on Colors Studios. It has always been a dream of mine since starting my career to perform a record on Colors. I feel like there’s such clarity to their creative concept and a rawness that has consistently captured culturally important performances. It was such a fun bucket list experience to end my year last year.”
What would be your dream artist or producer collaboration, and why?
“My dream collaboration would be writing and performing a song with Stevie Wonder and/or having a record produced by Andre 3000. They dream bigger than genre and have birthed really wonderful sounds musically, so that would be deeply meaningful to me.”
What does being part of the Gibson Artist Spotlight program mean to you?
“I think it’s wonderful to be celebrated in my artistry by Gibson and I’m very honored. There’s such a rich history of Black artists pushing sounds through guitar whether I think of Jimi Hendrix, Tracy Chapman, OGs like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, or more modern examples like Lianne la Havas and Willow. I’m so excited to continue to use the instrument to challenge myself as a songwriter and the stories I choose to tell, and I’m grateful to Gibson for supporting me and extending me a platform to evolve.”
What’s next on the horizon for you?
“More life and more music. I’m working on this album, and it’s been such an exciting and impactful time in my life. I’m embracing a soulful sound that has always been there but now is more supported through production and storytelling. I can’t wait for people to hear a really evolved sound from me, and hopefully, it will take me to new spaces musically. I’m looking to play more shows this year and generally just share a lot more music in the coming months.”
Find out more about the Gibson Artist Spotlight program and visit Ayoni’s profile.
