Ava Suppelsa
Chicago, IL | Established. Jan 01, 2011
Music
Press
If you watched this year’s Grammy Awards, you witnessed stunning (and sometimes head-scratching) fashion, inspiring performances and another Kanye moment to discuss around the water cooler. What you missed, however, were the performances by members of the Grammy Alumni Band throughout the week leading up to the award show. Among the performers opening for nominee Hunter Hayes was Evanston’s own Ava Suppelsa, who was invited to join the alumni group after participating in Grammy Camp this past summer.
This Grammy-worthy experience wasn’t Suppelsa’s first major musical accomplishment. She was also one of around 170 finalists chosen from thousands of applicants to attend National YoungArts Week in January. The program, put on by the National YoungArts Foundation, gave Suppelsa the opportunity to work with artists and songwriters like Josh Groban, Chris Young and Desmond Child.
“It was just incredible…the opportunities to be there and to meet all these other kids who are so talented,” Suppelsa says.
The 17-year-old says singing has always been her main passion, but she also took piano lessons around age six and later taught herself how to play guitar. She then quickly started to write her own music and had her first performance as a singer/songwriter at age 13.
Although her writing process can vary, Suppelsa always tries to make her music personal. She’s inspired by James Taylor and John Mayer, and has been told she reminds people of Colbie Caillat.“I think the thing I love most about songwriting is the self-expression that comes with it. It’s a way of getting my emotions out on paper or expressing how I feel about something, so it’s really an emotional release, which is what I love about it, as well as being able to write something that other people can relate to.”
Suppelsa has continued to develop her songwriting skills as a student at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. She says that being surrounded by such talented peers is motivating and her songwriting has grown with the instruction of her teachers.
“Honestly, it’s changed my perspective on music and it’s really changed my life as an artist. I completely love it. Being surrounded by other people who are just as like-minded as me and have the same goals as me is amazing. Every day you learn something new and get a little better.”
Just like most high school seniors around the country, Suppelsa is in the midst of applying to colleges, but she is also currently working on producing and recording an EP that is scheduled to release on iTunes this summer. To stay up-to-date on Suppelsa’s career, follow her on Facebook, or listen to her music on SoundCloud. - Make It Better
Kids These Days. Chief Keef. Purple Apple. Mister Lies. Chicago has an impressive roster of tween talent—some of the young groups’ sellout shows have overtaken headlines from our city’s veteran acts in recent months. At this rate, Chicago is practically running its own Kidzapalooza.
In March, retro-pop singer Kirby Kaiser is leading the pack with the release of her new EP. At just 20 years old, the Lincoln Park High School alum first found recognition with her 2011 self-titled debut, a collection of girl group zingers with Shangri-Las harmonies and heart-crushing diary odes. Her new single “A Little Longer” takes that foundation a step farther by adding in more dreamscapes to make her the latest teen angel, seen in a recent feature in Nylon magazine.
Who will break big next?
Ava Suppelsa
WGN anchorman Mark Suppelsa’s daughter is often compared to Taylor Swift (she likes to write about boys), but the budding artist also crafts poignant numbers like “Not Today,” dedicated to a fellow Evanston Township High School student who was killed earlier this year. Expect her songwriting to become more informed; the 15-year-old was just accepted to Interlochen Center for the Arts. - Chicago Magazine
Evanston singer/songwriter Ava Suppelsa has been named a 2015 National YoungArts Foundation finalist, according to a news release.
The 17-year-old was born and raised in Evanston and is now a high school senior at the renowned Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan.
Her music style has been described as “James Taylor meets Norah Jones in the country.”
Suppelsa will join 170 YoungArts finalists this January in Miami, Fla. chosen for their prowess in the performing, visual and literary arts. Selected from 11,000 applicants nationwide from 10 arts disciplines, they will be mentored by some of the world’s greatest artists, the release said.
Each finalist will receive an award between $1,000 and $10,000 and will be considered for a U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts (PSA) nomination. Past YoungArts winners include Oscar winning actress Viola Davis, Scandal star Kerry Washington, singer/actress Vanessa Williams, trumpeter Roy Hargrove and recording artists Nicki Minaj and Josh Groban.
For Suppelsa it’s a landmark honor in her young career. She wrote her first songs at age 12, had her first onstage performance in eighth grade and a year later won Evanston Township High School’s version of American Idol in the soloist category. Suppelsa has performed on stage at numerous venues including the Hard Rock Cafe, charity events, fairs and house concerts.
After she graduates from Interlochen Arts Academy where she is now immersed in the singer/songwriter program, Ava looks forward to studying music and pursuing a career using her unique voice and writing style that draws from a mix of folk, country, pop and jazz, the release said. - Evanston Review
Ava Suppelsa, a 17-year-old Evanston singer and songwriter, and the daughter of WGN-TV anchor Mark Suppelsa, has been named a 2015 National Young/Arts Foundation finalist in the category of Voice/Singer/Songwriter. The teen, who was born and raised in the North Shore suburb, is currently a high school senior at the famous Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan.
According to her proud papa, her music style can be described as “James Taylor meets Norah Jones in the country.”
Next month, Suppelsa will travel to Miami to join 170 other Young/Arts finalists who have been chosen for their excellence in the performing, visual and literary arts. They have been selected from 11,000 applicants nationwide — competing in 10 arts disciplines. They will be mentored by some of the world’s top artists.
The National YoungArts Foundation was founded in 1981 with a mission to “provide these emerging artists with life-changing experiences and validation by renowned mentors, access to significant scholarships, national recognition and other opportunities throughout their careers to hep ensure that the nation’s most outstanding emerging artists are encouraged to pursue careers in the arts.”
Each finalist will receive an award between $1,000 and $10,000 and will be considered for a U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts nomination. Past YoungArts winners include Oscar winning actress Viola Davis, “Scandal” star Kerry Washington, singer/actress Vanessa Williams, trumpeter Roy Hargrove and recording artists Nicki Minaj and Josh Groban. - Chicago Sun Times
An Evanston singer/songwriter is a 2015 National YoungArts Foundation finalist.
The Evanston Review reported Tuesday that 17-year-old Ava Suppelsa was recently named a finalist. Suppelsa was born and raised in Evanston and now attends the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan.
She is one of 170 finalists that were selected from a pool of 11,000 applicants nationwide and will be in Miami in January to compete for the title. - Evanston Patch
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
Ava Suppelsa is an 18 year old singer/songwriter from Evanston, Illinois. Her music is a blend of folk, pop and country with hints of jazz. Some would describe it as "James Taylor meets Norah Jones in the country." Despite her young age, Ava has already begun making a name for herself in the Chicago area. She began to play and write her own music at the age of twelve and began writing music shortly after. In 2013, Ava snagged a coveted spot in the second year of the Interlochen Arts Academy Singer/Songwriter program. Since then, Ava has been at the Interlochen Arts Academy furthering her writing and performance skills, while still performing on the side. She has an extensive list of performances, including the Hard Rock Cafe Chicago, the Do Division Street Festival and the WGN Chicago Radio and Morning News.
2014 was a big year for Ava. She was selected as a Young Arts Finalist, a national arts competition- one of the 170 finalists chosen out of 11,000 applicants, and one of the 6 selected singer/songwriters. It was a honor for her to win and got the chance to work with legendary artists such as Josh Groban, Chris Young and Desmond Child. Only weeks after, Ava was chosen as a winner of the Michigan Music Educators Association Composition Competition for her original compositions among Michigan's best young composers. In February, she got the opportunity to open for Grammy-nominee Hunter Hayes at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California for the official Grammy Week.
After her graduation from Interlochen Arts Academy, Ava was accepted into the famous Berklee College of Music where she is currently pursuing a college degree in songwriting and music business. She is active in the Boston music scene, playing both solo and with her band and is finishing up an EP that will be released this April.
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