Posted by Pulse Administration on September 1, 2010

Silva Hakobyan – Artist of the Month – September 2010

Categories: Artists Of The Month, Pulse News | no responses

By Betty Panossian-Ter Sarkissian

Silva started singing when she was only four. She was a child star of concerts and community events held in Vayk, a city in the Vayots Dzor Region. Often during Silva’s childhood, her father drove her to Yerevan to take part in singing competitions, and they seldom went home empty-handed. “Our rooms were filled with trophies,” Silva remembers.

In her formative years, Silva performed songs about fairy tales and dolls, written and arranged by her sister and brother. In time, the themes, lyrics, and musical complexity of the songs composed by the Hakobyan siblings also grew. When she was 12 years old, Silva sang “Mankutiun” (Childhood) at a festival and once again won first prize. Popular throughout Armenia, “Mankutiun” is a particular favorite at school graduation parties.

A family of talents

Today Silva’s sister, Maneh, writes the words of most of the pop star’s songs. Her brother, Edgar, composes and arranges the music. Maneh and Edgar also compose songs or arrange music for many emerging and established Armenian pop singers including Arameh, Razmik Amyan, and Shushan Petrosyan.

When it became obvious that their children would like nothing better than writing and performing songs, Silva’s parents set up a small studio in a corner of their home in Yerevan. Her father, Hakob, gave up his job as a hairdresser to manage the promising careers of his children.

“I am extremely lucky to have my family. Many of my singer friends tell me that they would have loved to be in my shoes,” Sylva says.

“We have inherited our affinity for music from our mother’s side. She and my grandfather used to sing and play the trumpet and dhol,” she says, referring to the Armenian folk drum.

Silva collaborates with a variety of artists. Beside her siblings, composers such as Martin Mirzoyan have written songs for her.

The breakthrough: The Next Best Thing

In 2006, Silva took a big leap with the release of the video for her song “Gisher e” (It’s night), which in no time became a hit.

Then, with the help of Aram Avagyan, a friend of the family, Silva submitted the song to The Next Best Thing, a BBC song contest open to under-18 singers from throughout the world.

“We had just sent the song for the sake of participating and the experience that it might bring,” recalls Silva.

She still relives her surprise at being notified that the jury members, among them Peter Gabriel and William Wordsmith, Madonna’s producer, had chosen her song as one of the best 20, out of some 2,000 entries.

Subsequently “Gisher e” was selected as one of the best six songs, and, in early December 2006, Silva was invited to London to perform at the final concert of the contest. To her shock and elation, she won the top prize and was named The Next Best Thing.

“We all were crying,” Silva says. “Even the jury members were tearful, because they all had wished for my success.”

Upon her victorious return to Armenia, Silva was named Revelation of the Year at the Armenian National Music Awards, held in Yerevan. In the following months, she was honored with more accolades at the Armenian Music Awards, held in Los Angeles and Moscow.

In 2007, a slew of fresh songs and video clips followed while Silva continued to earn popular and critical acclaim. By this time she had become a regular presence on various Armenian television programs, and her name ranked high in the pop-music charts.

With her sweet yet powerful voice, Silva performs a variety of songs ranging from hip-hop to pop and Armenian dance. “I like experimenting with different styles,” she says. “I might even give rock and roll a try, but my favorites are pop and hip-hop.”

Like other music stars, Silva finds that fame has come with a price. She says although she has always been “a good girl” and led a simple family life, steering clear of notoriety, fans can sometimes cross the line and infringe on her privacy, forcing her to be extra vigilant in safeguarding it.

Silva is a third-year student at the College of Jazz and Pop Music in Yerevan. Though she is as-ever enthusiastic about her studies, she notes, with a tinge of remorse, that sometimes she has to give up attending classes because of her tours and recording obligations. Still, she manages to make time for voice and dance lessons and also studies English.

In summer 2008, Silva released her first CD. Titled Silva, the album includes the hits “Tnits Pakhel Em,” “Indz Nerir,” and “Chem Sirum,” and also “Gisher e” as a bonus track.