Daily Inspiration: Meet The !7th Avenue Allstars

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arsya Kadyanto.

Hi Arsya, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Founded nearly four decades ago by Norm Silver, the 17th Avenue Allstars began as an ambitious all-vocal experiment in Denver, Colorado, rooted in a shared love of harmony, innovation, and performance. What started as a local collective quickly grew into a nationally recognized ensemble, admired for its energy, versatility, and fearless creativity. Over the years, the group has continually evolved, blending their diverse musical backgrounds — from classical, opera, and barbershop to jazz, R&B, rock, pop, hip hop, funk, and acid jazz — into a sound that feels both timeless and forward-thinking. With a repertoire spanning from the 1940s to today, the Allstars remain committed to reimagining vocal music, most recently incorporating real-time audio looping into their live performances. This ongoing drive to innovate has kept the 17th Avenue Allstars as relevant and exciting today as they were at the very beginning.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the Allstars’ biggest challenges over the years has been navigating changes in personnel. Each transition requires rediscovering our unit sound, reaffirming the group’s shared identity and mission, and reinforcing the idea that the Allstars remain the same collective despite evolving faces. It also means rebuilding and strengthening relationships with longtime clients and audiences who may be more familiar with previous lineups. While these shifts have required patience and adaptability, they have ultimately contributed to the group’s growth and resilience.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The 17th Avenue Allstars create high-energy, all-vocal performances that blend tight musicianship with creativity and fun. We’re known for crossing genres — from jazz and R&B to pop, rock, and hip hop — and making them our own using only the human voice. What sets us apart is how we bring together our different musical backgrounds and personalities to create a sound that feels unified, fresh, and always evolving. We’re especially proud of how we’ve continued to grow as a group, pushing our live shows further with real-time vocal looping and new arrangements, while still honoring the legacy of the Allstars. At the end of the day, we love connecting with audiences and showing just how far vocal music can go.

How do you think about happiness?
What makes us happiest is singing together in its purest form. We all have day jobs, so when the Allstars get together, it feels like stepping away from the real world and reconnecting through the thing we love most — making music together. Sharing that joy with an audience is what really completes the experience, especially when we’re able to bring them into the moment. Those connections, both with each other and with the crowd, are what make it all worth it.

Pricing:

• Private (minimum): $500
• Public (minimum): $1200
• Using our own equipment: +$250
• Add 30 mins: +$200
• Pricing is for 30-60 min set

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.17th-avenue.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/17thaveallstars
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/17thaveallstars/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@17thaveallstars/videos

Image Credits
Joshua Dixie (stage photos),