She knew she was born to entertain when, at age 8, she won a national contest for a song she wrote, then performed in front of thousands of people. Her New York upbringing provided her with plenty of opportunity to nurture her gifts. She began playing piano at age 8 and, with the help of world renowned drummer Omar Hakim, she recorded her first demo at age 16. She toured nationally with an amateur A Capella group throughout college. Later, playing with professional jazz bands helped her to grow instrumentally, developing her skills on the, trumpet, drums and piano.
After a five-year hiatus from writing songs, Aviva moved to Atlanta where she studied massage, homeopathy, breath therapy, Chinese Medicine, primal therapy and belly dance. Her mystical journey broke off some of her ego masks, and she was inspired to write songs once again. Connecting with kindred spirits inspires her music; intimately sharing her heart and ego struggles while producing an alchemy for the soul. Aviva weaves into her songs a gentle reminder of our human-ness and all of our spirits' capacity to peaceful communication.
Her song 'Emet' is a powerful reminder that we are beautiful and connected beings, while 'Cannabis Car' is about protecting and caring for our natural environment. The inspiration for 'Cannabis Car' came while working on a farm in exchange for vegetables. Aviva learned from a farmer that Henry Ford created a car that ran on cannabis oil, and in those days, it was illegal for farmers not to grow cannabis as part of their crops. “That was not the kind you smoke,” Aviva joked, adding that she and her friends do not indulge in mind altering substances.
The life of natural highs continues to inspire Aviva’s music. She is a Qi Gong and Belly Dance instructor. She teaches and practices earthen building, and her life is devoted to her spirit's freedom. “I needed to live outside of accepted culture so I could explore what I saw and felt in my soul; The greatest potential for humanity is being human,” she said. “Being who we really are brings out our individual gifts and abilities. All too often we get distracted by money or the pursuit of fame, which does not bring happiness.". |
