Meet Ava Rose Johnson of I’m actually based out of Oklahoma but have performed in Denver upon request!

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ava Rose Johnson.

Hi Ava Rose, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?

I made history on November 2nd, 2019, at 12 years old, when I won Best Independent Recording By A New Artist for “Heaven’s Window”. I am the youngest ever to be nominated and win a Native American Music Award.

I am a powerful, proud Osage and Cherokee 15 year old singer songwriter. I give all glory to God to gifting me an extraordinary, powerful voice that has been provoking powerful responses from coast to coast.

In 2017, when I 10 years old, I won the title of Oklahoma Kids Gospel Vocalist of the Year with my rendition of “How Great Thou Art” then went on the same year to become American Kids National Performer of the Year, 1st runner up with the same song. I have entertained guests in NYC on Good Morning America and the Good Morning America Summer Concert Series in Central Park, venues in Nashville, performed at Disney World and Disneyland, Nashville and Nashville to New Mexico to the entry way of Walmart, where a patron videoed me singing “How Great Thou Art”. It went viral on Facebook. I have seen first hand has how much music can be used as a vehicle to touch lives of others in such a powerful way.

In 2019, I was given an amazing opportunity to record and song write with Nashville producer and singer-songwriter, Billy Dawson, Lainey Edwards and Sean Fuller (former drummer for Florida Georgia Line). I took this time to write about my friend, Behr Place, who was tragically killed in an ATV accident 3 years ago. I wanted this song to be symbol of hope for his family and friends. The song and video (filmed by International filmmaker James Rayner), “Heaven’s Window” was released on April 9th, 2019. The music industry veteran Billy Dawson said, “music opens doors for people and Johnson and her song is going to move a lot of people.”

During the COVID 19 pandemic, I was given an amazing opportunity and received training from Monique Coleman, Lauren Frost, Jodi Katz, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Mark Schoenfeld and Jon Stoddard to name a few. I also was a panelist, presenter and performer for the Denver based non profit international organization, GlobalmindED and was on the panel “Fortifying Native American Students, Faculty and Communities during and after COVID 19” with several Native American influencers such as Moderator: Ron Lessard, (Chief of Staff of White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education (WHIAIANE) from September 2013 to November 2016 and since then has served as the Acting Executive Director. WHIAIANE leads the President’s Executive Order 13592, Improving American Indian and Alaska Native Educational Opportunities and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities.), Mitchell M. Zais, Ph.D., Diana Cournoyer, Michael Chamberlain, and Carrie L. Billy. That was such an amazing opportunity provided by JC Whorton. I am coming to Denver to perform and participate in this years’ in person GlobalmindED Conference June 22-24th. I am so excited to be in Denver again this summer for this event!

I co hosted and performed at The Spin Awards (the biggest night in Gospel Radio) Preshow and also was a performer at The Spin Awards Show in Atlanta, Georgia in October of 2019. I was also the 2020 Spin Awards Brand Influencer and Performer for 2020’s award show.

In April of 2021, I was so blessed to travel to Nashville to record once again at Dawson Studios with my producer Billy Dawson. I had an amazing experience where I worked with extremely talented, well known in the industry, musicians that included: Grady Saxman’s studio-Saxman Studio. Grady is best known as a drummer for Luke Combs, with credits including Uncle Kracker, Bobby Bones and Kidz Bop. Luke Combs also has recorded in that same studio as I was tracking. Grady played drums and percussion for my latest songs and directed the musicians, while Josh Soko engineered the sound. While tracking the songs that i co-wrote with Billy Dawson, in Saxman Studio, I was fortunate to work with Chris Condon, who played guitar for my latest songs. Chris is currently the guitarist and musical director for Billy Ray Cyrus. Luke Moseley played the keys for me in Saxman Studio as well. He has worked with Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, Lauren Alaina, For King and Country and Francesca Battistelli to name a few. Devin Malone played acoustic and bouzouki. His session credits include Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Sam Hunt and DustinLynch. Tim Denbo, played bass guitar for my songs, also at the studio. He is a session guitarist who also played for Doug Stone, Christian Artist Mark Shultz and has played for and toured for many artists and earned a Grammy nomination. “There’s A Boy”, co written by myself and Billy Dawson is nominated for Best Country Recording, Best Pop Video for the “Nammys.”Billy also is nominated for the Best Native Heart Award and I am also nominated for Best Female Vocalist in the Native American Music Awards. The Award Winners will be announced at the 20th Annual Award Gala November 19, 2022.

Most recently on August 20th, 2021, I was awarded the NextGen Under 30 Award in The Arts category in the state of Oklahoma. I was the youngest to-win in my category, The Performing Arts.

My song, “There’s A Boy” is currently available on all digital music stations and also #2 on the Sirius XM’s Indigenous Music Countdown also on 12 Canadian FM stations. It is being played in the US and all over the world including Australia, across Europe, Canada, South America.

As performance venues have begun to open again, I continue to perform live and am scheduling performance venues. In August 2021, I performed in Eagle Nest, NM for EagleFest. In November 2021, I performed for the Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Gala in Denver, Colorado.

I have performances scheduled for Denver for GlobalmindED June 22-24th. I am opening for Billy Dawson’s Nashville to New Mexico June 18th in Eagle Nest, NM and then I will be in San Francisco for the Inter Tribal Self Governance Conference the end of July to August 2022.

I just returned from Nashville, recording at Dawson Studios with my producer, the amazingly talented Billy Dawson. I will be releasing some new music over the next few months and I am so very excited about it!

“Ava Rose Johnson is one of the most talented girls I’ve ever come across and her voice is just power,” said Billy Dawson.

“I ve seen a lot of different artists, I’ve never seen a girl at 12 years old with pipes like hers. I think she`s blazing a trail, little does she know, she`s blazing a trail for others,” said Fuller.

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?
I have been given so many wonderful opportunities at such a young age and got to meet so many people in the industry and perform all over the United States. I have been very blessed and am very thankful. I would say something I learned was to always remember to be kind. Tom Kelly gave me that advice while I was in NYC on the Good Morning America set and I have always remembered those words. I would say just like in life there are always challenges. There are always NOs BUT when the timing is right, it IS right and where you are meant to be. I trust in God’s perfect timing in my life. Every person that I have met, connections made, singing opportunities I have been given, talented and amazing artists I have been so fortunate to work with is all because of God.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a singer songwriter. I recently turned 15 (I just completed the 8th grade) but at the age of 12, I co wrote “Heaven’s Window” with Billy Dawson, Lainey Edwards and Sean Fuller (former drummer for Florida Georgia Line). I made history that year (2019) as the youngest to ever be nominated and win a Native American Music Award. I also am the youngest to win in The Performing Arts category (2021) the NextGen Under 30 (for the state of Oklahoma). I am so proud to have won both of those awards and represent as a young Native American artist. I am both Osage and Cherokee. My song “There’s A Boy” is #2 on the Sirius XM Indigenous Music Countdown. It is also nominated for Best Country Recording, Best Pop Video and then I am nominated for Beat Female Vocalist. This is for The Native American Music Awards. The winners will be announced at their 20th Annual Awards Gala in November 2022

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
When I was 4 years old, my older sister Zana, had me come up on stage with her while she was singing in Branson and at that very moment I knew I was a performer and loved being on the stage!

Contact Info:

• Email: avarosejohnsonmusic@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avarosejohnsonmusic
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/avarosejohnsonmusic/
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/avarosemusic
• Youtube: https://t.co/TG5J95k1k3
• Other: https://youtu.be/2DvZ-6xmxh0