IMAJ THOMAS
2014 Avanti Award Winner -- "American Country" Singer

"What an unexpected and extraordinary opportunity to win the Avant Award. So needed and so appreciated as well" - Imaj



ARTIST PROFILE
Imaj Thomas has been seen as somewhat of an anomaly in the country music industry, being—not only one of a handful of artists to go the traditional route—but, like Charley Pride, she is one of even fewer Black artists in what is still a predominately white medium. Because of this, her pursuits have been an uphill battle. The 56th Grammy Award considered country artist from Frisco, Texas known mononymously as IMAJ, is an American country singer, songwriter, novelist, visual artist, actress and humanitarian. Born August 16, 1989 to in Miami Beach Florida to model mother Kassandra Thomas and 80s TV icon actor Philip Michael Thomas (Tubbs of Miami Vice), the artist fans everywhere call their "Country Darling" grew up in a "utopian environment where creativity was encouraged." Imaj attributes her various creative outlets to her eclectic parents and industry upbringing.

By the age of 6 years old, Imaj had written her first book. Her private art teacher considered her a child prodigy at the age of nine. At seventeen her self-portrait was displayed at the Dallas Museum of Art. Two years later, she finished a movie script, which by the age of twenty-one she adapted into her first published novel, Harlow.

As a singer, Imaj has always spoken of her love of country music above all but has also shown that she doesn't limit herself musically to any one genre or language. She taught herself phonetically to sing in six languages and crosses several genres including folk, pop, soul and southern rock. Still, her heart remains in traditional country music. She associates her love of country to her passion for writing stories and talks about the purity the genre has maintained through its life. Imaj is known for her elaborate concerts, having no less than five costume changes per show. Her bejeweled and studded outfit along with her traditional style of music is a tip of the hat to her nostalgia for the golden age of country. She tends to make unique song choices from a platinum vinyl collection, spanning such icons as Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, Sr. to Loretta Lynn, Janis Joplin and Tammy Wynette.

Imaj has self-written many songs and has publicly stated that she learned to play guitar just so she could write her own music. Ron Grimes, multi-platinum songwriter best known for his work with LeAnn Rimes, came out of retirement to work with Imaj and they too have written many songs together. Imaj originals range from bubbly stories of first-love like "Blush" to the more traditional "Train Song" to serious tunes like "Fame," a song she wrote about her own journey to The Grand Ole Opry and "Passport" an ubi sunt about the transition into death she wrote with a hospice patient. "Soldiers have a special place in my heart," Imaj said during one of her shows just before performing a tear-filled rendition of Trace Adkin's "'Til The Last Shot's Fired" and closing with her famous three little words, "Peace and Love."

Having toured opening and/or special guest for noted singers such as Collin Raye, Billy Dean, Gretchen Wilson, Clay Walker, Lorrie Morgan, Neal McCoy, Kip Moore and LeAnn Rimes, Imaj is currently on a nationwide radio tour promoting her first single, "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" from her self-titled debut album, IMAJ. She co-wrote eight of the twelve songs on the album including her single. When asked about why she chose that song out of all the others, Imaj said, "Well, your first single is your first impression on the world. "It's about having that safe place to be yourself in a world where everyone else is trying to be everyone else. It's all about Peace, Love and Country music." Imaj

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