INTERVIEW: Singer Art Auré is planning to ‘Keep On’ spreading her strength
Photo: Art Auré’s new single is “Keep On.” Photo courtesy of Domo Jenkins / Provided by Prana Marketing with permission.
Art Auré, the accomplished singer-songwriter, has had a memorable year for a number of reasons. She has decided to use her chosen art form — singing and bringing together an audience — to respond to the unprecedented nature of 2020. That’s how her latest single, “Keep On,” came about, and the listeners have responded in kind.
Auré’s anthem, which she wrote and co-produced, is an uplifting song that speaks to perseverance in light of struggle and woe. It’s a positive spin on a difficult year, and the song has been selected by the Black Women for Biden organization during this heated political season. For Auré, the song was not intended to be political, but came about after she overcame some personal struggles.
“Myself and Ronnie Collins, we do our whole get-together in his apartment to put together our songs, and I came in the studio,” Auré said in a recent phone interview. “And I just felt an inspiring message, and I just told him, ‘I have something on my heart that I want to get out.’ I just wrote the words, ‘Tough times don’t last long / you got to keep on.’ And he added, ‘You are much stronger than you know,’ and I can say that those words are just so meaningful for everyone.”
Auré has been happily surprised that the song has met with such favor. She has heard from many fans that the tune is resonating in their lives.
“I’m getting text messages everyday and DMs and all types of things where people are saying that this song is changing their lives, especially with all of the protests and riots and all of the unemployment and COVID-19, just everything that is going on around the world,” she said. “There is no way that people cannot relate to the lyrics and the message in the song.”
A few weeks back, Auré was on a Zoom-like meeting conference with Black Women for Biden, and she was one of the guest speakers. During the conference, they played “Keep On,” and the movement adopted the song as one of its anthems. Auré called it an honor to be included in the campaigning.
“I had no idea that ‘Keep On’ was going to be as successful as it is,” the singer-songwriter said. “Like I said, riding this after just coming out of something personal and realizing a lot of people can definitely relate to this. … We’re always going through things, we as people all over the world, and I’m just happy to be able to bring that out and empower other people.”
Auré realized she wanted to be a singer when she was a child (the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson were early influences). She started writing tunes when she was only 6 years old, and she had a captive audience with her siblings by her side. Then, while attending school in Washington, D.C., a vocal coach proved extremely influential.
“She heard my talent, and she saw my drive,” Auré said. “She said that she wanted me to be part of her album, and I was 11 years old at the time. I came into the studio, and there were nothing but adults. I was the only child in there. She paid me for my singing services on her album, and I realized, hey, I love doing this. And I can make money from it. I have a whole life ahead of me. I have to do this. I’ve been doing it ever since.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Art Auré’s newest single is “Keep On.” Click here for more information.
