On Sunday, December 18 Serouj Kradjian and his lovely wife, internationally renowned Opera singer Isabel Bayrakdarian, will be making their duo recital debut at the Occidental College in Los Angeles. Serouj is a widely acclaimed concert pianist and recording artist, composer, professor of music in Madrid, Spain, Artistic Director and Pianist of the Amici Ensemble, and if that isn’t enough he also speaks six languages! We are delighted to have the opportunity to interview him.

Welcome Serouj and thank you for joining us at Armenian Pulse. You began studying the piano at the age of 5, and by age 7 you won the National Competition for Young Musicians in Canada. ( I also starting studying piano at the age of 5, and by age 7 I was on Associated board Grade 2 out of 7 lol)…how is it possible you managed to accomplish so much in such a short space of time, and at such a young age?

I have to thank my parents, who discovered my talent for music very early on and for having the patience to make a 5-6 year old practice, when he rather play soccer outside with his peers.

What was the first piece of music you fell in love with and inspired you the most when you were a child?

Hungarian Rhapsody nr. 2 by Franz Liszt

The repertoire on your website includes a wide-range of composers at opposite ends of the creative spectrum from the technically rich and complex Bach, right through to the sensual, romantic Debussy. Do you play the music of composers you love the most? Or is your repertoire dictated more by what people want to hear you play the most?

A performer should definitely feel at home with most of the repertoire he has chosen. There should be some room for special requests by organizer but definitely not when they don’t suit your taste.

You have performed all over the world at countless venues from New York (Carnegie Hall), to Paris (Salle Cortot). Every venue has its own character and acoustics, is there any in particular that stand out for you as the perfect place to perform a piano recital?

Wigmore Hall in London.

Are there any venues you haven’t yet visited that you would particularly like to perform in?

Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA

You have worked with many renowned musicians, from opera singers to violinists. Is a solo performance as exciting an experience for you as performing with other accomplished musicians?

They’re very different in many aspects but each type of performance has its own charm as long as you feel comfortable doing it. In a solo performance it’s your show, plain and simple and you do your best to take along the audience on a musical journey with you, and in a chamber music setting, the musicians on stage, at their best, are creating magic together.

Can you tell us about your own work as a composer? And how does it feel to hear your music being performed on stage?

Composition is a relatively recent passion of mine and it commenced with my research on and orchestrations of the Armenian folksongs of Gomidas. My composition style is definitely influenced by my own experiences as a performer, the places I’ve been raised and countries I’ve spent time in. So I feel equally at home with Liszt Rachmaninoff, or Stravinsky as with tango flamenco, and Arabo-Andalusian muwashahat For me the inspiration for composition starts with improvisation. That way I can start creating something which is truly mine. For the next few years I have some commissions lined up for chamber music, orchestral music, and ethnic-roots music. Film soundtracks are another direction I eventually want to take.

You have released several CD’s both as a solo artist, with other musicians, and with Isabel Bayrakdarian. Can you tell us a little about your discography and any plans you have for future releases?

As a soloist, I recorded the complete Transcendental Studies and the Piano concerti by Franz Liszt on the Warner Music label, the complete Sonatas by Robert Schumann on the Haenssler Classic label. As a chamber musician, amongst numerous recordings that I’ve done, two stand out: “Armenian Chamber Music” a CD entirely devoted to Armenian composers received a Juno nomination this year, and the songs by Pauline-Viardot Garcia recorded with my wife, won the Juno as Best Classical Album. As a composer-arranger, my “Gomidas Songs” with Isabel and the Armenian Philharmonic received a Grammy nomination, couple of years ago.In the next year a recording exploring classical music inspired by the Middle East, and a recording devoted entirely to my compositions will be released. I must also not forgot the couple of tracks I cowrote with Canadian electronica band Delerium , based on Armenian sacred music, the remix of which received a Grammy nomination and over 2 million Youtube hits.

Can you tell us about the program you will be performing with Isabel on December 18th at the Occidental College in Los Angeles?

2011 is the 200th birth anniversary of Franz Liszt, and we start with three of his songs. This is followed by a brilliant solo piano piece, based on Figaro’s aria from the “Barber of Seville”, following which, Isabel will sing Rosina’s aria from the same opera. We will end the first half with three charming songs by Aram Khachaturian. In the second half we start off with three gems by Gomidas followed by my own composition dedicated to him.The rest of the programme is an exciting journey from Spanish folk-songs to Cuban rhythms and tango!

That sounds lovely, I’m really looking forward to it! What is the best aspect of being able to perform recitals with your wife?

The rehearsal process is very casual and organic because we practice at home. And therefore, the performance feels spontaneous,because there is mutual trust,respect and of course love.

You both travel a great deal, is it difficult to balance family life with the demands of your musical careers?

Yes. It’s like riding a bicycle you always have to pedal furiously to remain calmly balanced.

And finally… if you were stranded on a desert island with nothing but a CD player, which three CD’s would you want to have with you?

Only three? Very difficult to choose amongst so many. I would go with J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations as played by Glenn Gould (1981), Francis Poulenc’s “Dialogue of the Carmelites”, Gustav Mahler’s Symphony no. 9.

Thank you so much for joining us Serouj and giving us the chance to ask such searching questions we are really looking forward to seeing you both perform in Los Angeles on the 18th.

Tickets are now on sale for the first time duo recital of Isabel Bayrakdarian & Serouj Kradjian in Los Angeles, at Thorne Hall Occidental College on Sunday December 18, 2011 at 7pm. Click here to reserve and purchase your tickets from www.itsMySeat.com/Isabel

About the Artists:

Isabel Bayrakdarian burst onto the international opera scene after winning first prize in the 2000 Operalia competition founded by Plácido Domingo. Since then she has performed in many of the world’s major opera houses, recital stages and concert halls. Ms. Bayrakdarian sings on the Grammy® award-winning soundtrack of the blockbuster film The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers, and her voice can also be heard in the multiple award-winning Canadian film Ararat. She has been honored with four Juno awards, Canada’s highest recording prize, most recently for her CD Mozart arie & duetti with fellow Canadians Russell Braun and Michael Schade. Ms. Bayrakdarian is the subject of a CBC-TV film entitled A Long Journey Home that documents her first trip to Armenia; on another trip there she recorded a disc of songs by the country’s national composer, Gomidas Vartabed (1869-1935), with Serouj Kradjian and the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra which is available on the Nonesuch label and was a 2009 Grammy® nominee.

Canadian-Armenian pianist and composer Serouj Kradjian has established himself as a versatile artist whose readiness to break boundaries and explore different styles has made him an exciting voice on the classical music scene. Serouj Kradjian’s discography includes the highly acclaimed Transcendental Etudes and Piano Concerti by Franz Liszt on the Warner Music Spain label, “Miniatures”, an anthology of music written by Armenian composers,and Robert Schumann’s three Sonatas for Violin and Piano (with Ara Malikian) are both Hänssler Classic releases. His concerts have been broadcast by the CBC, Radio de la Suisse Romande, Radio and TV España, the BBC, the Süddeutsche Rundfunk and NHK Japan. Serouj Kradjian began his studies at the age of five, and by seven had won a National Competition for Young Musicians. He studied with Einar Steen-Nökleberg at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hanover, receiving the coveted Solo Performance degree in 2001.Kradjian’s talent has been acknowledged by the Chalmers Grant of the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council.

Hi Tiffany, it’s lovely to see you again, can you believe our first interview with you was exactly 2 years ago? It was on November 15th 2009 to be exact.

Hi! Wow, that’s amazing, doesn’t feel like 2 years have passed!

I know you’ve had a few shows since then and have been working hard on a CD and we’ll get to all that in a second, But with my first question, I wanted to know how you think you have grown as an artist since the last time we spoke.

So much has happened in 2 years that has changed me as a young person as well as an artist. My mentality towards music and towards the music business has changed the most though and as a result of that my music has changed (just a bit). I make music to please myself first because I’ve learned through trial and error that I should trust my instincts over everything and that’s been the most helpful. I’ve also learned how to look at my music from an outsiders point of view. That’s hard to do but I’ve become pretty great at judging myself objectively, and it helps me tremendously.

Those are all great traits to absorb, specially in the business you’re in! You have a new CD to be released at the end of this month, ‘I Love Me, Too’, that’s a very interesting title, tell us more about what it means, is it as simple as what it says or does it go deeper than that?

Its as simple as I Love Me, Too, really. Be yourself, never compromise who you are, what you stand for and how you want to live your life. Self confidence is a roller coaster, at least in my experience. Some times you’re high and you feel great about your life and other times you spiral down pretty fast and you feel like nothing you’re doing is working or any good… I think this is healthy because it keeps your ego in check but at the end of the day if you have a healthy outlook towards your life you will be a happier person. PS. I’m not always a positive person, but I’m trying REALLY hard to be! Plus the words I Love Me, Too just had a cool ring to it. I’ve always liked ironic, obnoxious titles.

I like it too! What is the overall vibe of  the album? Where did the inspiration come from?

This album is a compilation of thoughts and experiences from the past 2 years. To me its a perfect example of what happens to a person at this age. I’m definitely telling 21 and 22 the way it happened (and is currently happening) to me but I think a lot of people will relate to the struggles, the loves, the heartbreak, the boredom and the ambition.  The vibe is upbeat, its electric, its happy (most of the time) and its emotional which is most important in music.

How many tracks are on the album and can you give us a breakdown of the songs and what they are about? I heard some very interesting titles and would love to learn more about them!

There are six songs on the EP. “Stockholm Syndrome”, “Mr. Hill”, “Desert Bound”, “Big Boys Don’t Cry”, “You’re Not Me” and “All I Ever Wanted”.

“Stockholm Syndrome” is about an experience I had last summer with someone I met very briefly and spent very little time with, but for some reason had a strange effect on me. I wrote the lyrics a year before the music in the memo pad of my blackberry (which is where you’ll find a lot of lyrics roaming around) while my friends and I were driving home from the beach. All I could think about was this person I had met for an instant so I wrote these words down and titled it Stockholm Syndrome because the boy was from Stockholm and that’s all I really knew. A year later my guitar player approached me with a song idea he had and when we finished the song, I came home ready to write the lyrics and I looked through my memo pad, found “Stockholm” and used it word for word. It worked perfectly and so “Stockholm Syndrome” was born from a guy named Robert who was nothing really to me but for some reason had this strange effect on me at that moment in time. And yes the song is a little embellished, I did not fall in love with him… fall in fascination is much harder to rhyme with.

“Mr. Hill” is a made up story about what I wish would happen to me. Its about someone who falls in love with a man much older than them ( I don’t really wish that part would happen but the rest…) and has an incredible romance. I’m constantly writing  about love but that doesn’t mean that I’m in love, actually sometimes I wish I were as in love as I come off in my music but sometimes its just dreaming out loud.

“Desert Bound” is a very personal song. Its about my 21st birthday and where my head was at that weekend. It was an amazing weekend in my life, one that I will never forget but not so much because of what happened (even though what happened was incredible and once in a lifetime ) but mostly because of what I was feeling at the time. I was so anxious, excited and ready for the life I had dreamed of to begin and yet I was so far away from that life that I had a very odd and uncomfortable feeling of being left out of my own life and being in a waiting line.  I think anyone that has chased anything relentlessly can relate to this one.

“Big Boys Don’t Cry” is about big boys who cry. Its a song made up of random experiences I’ve had. These boys are not the knights in shining armor… they are the ones who can’t take a joke, don’t speak sarcasm, are not chivalrous, and take life way too seriously.

“You’re Not Me” is a pretty hard one to swallow. Its about a relationship that goes wrong, whether its a friendship or a romantic relationship, its about what happens when the person you thought was amazing turns into something that’s anything but what you expected. Its not based on personal experience but it is based on a person I know.

“All I Ever Wanted” was the last song we wrote for this EP. I knew I had one more song in me so I pushed for this track and I’m so happy we wrote it because it expresses everything I would never say out loud outside of a song (nothings off limits in a song).

Wow! thank you for sharing that with us, it’s not to often we get a small glimpse into the artists lyrics and overall thought process of a song. I take it then that you wrote most of the songs on this album?

Yes, I wrote all of the songs with my guitar player who is more like my musical second half. Claudio has been in my band for about 3 years and he and I have been writing songs together for 2 years now and we click in that department and its easy and fun and the outcome is something we both love and are proud of so our musical relationship will hopefully be a very long one.

Which one of the songs was the hardest to tackle and why? (Lyrically, musically or recording wise)

“All I Ever Wanted” was tough because I wrote 3 sets of lyrics to that song, so picking which one I wanted to use was rough. They all made sense to me, they all fit the music, but ultimately I had to choose what story I wanted to tell, and I went with the obnoxious, selfish tale of whats happening in Tiffany Madadian’s brain.

I think this will be one that we all want to listen to! I know these songs are all your babies, but if you had to choose one, which one of them is closest to your heart?

I think “Desert Bound” is closest to my heart because its a perfect snapshot of my mind at 21. I wrote it from a weird experience I had, I was in an uncomfortable state of mind and it just reminds me of that moment and gives me a good push every time I hear it.  Its a bitter sweet song for me because as weird as I was feeling in my head, I was having the time of my life.

Interesting… How many songs did you have to write before you came up with the ones which ended up on the album?

I think there may have been 2 or 3 that didn’t make the album, otherwise everything written made it to the album. I have this weird method where If I don’t feel like the song is strong enough as we’re writing it, I put it aside and I don’t finish it. I always focus on what I’m writing for and in this case it was a 5 or 6 song EP so I wanted to make sure all the songs were strong personalities in their own right and the ones that didn’t make it simply weren’t strong enough songs.

As you get older and have more life experiences, is writing lyrics and/or music getting easier?

I definitely have more to write about but that’s only because I’m looking at life differently than I was when I was younger writing music. The only time I remember writing being difficult was when I was 16 or 17 and I was learning how to write a song, after that you kind of learn the method and it becomes a palate that you paint and fill in. Subject matter on the other hand is always difficult. Sometimes it takes forever  to find a way to get a simple message across. “I Wanna Hold Your Hand”… sounds so simple but I wonder how long it took to get there. Probably seconds, they’re not human. I on the other hand have a problem simplifying and saying how I feel in a way that even a 1st grader would understand. I used to think songs had to be complex to be good. Biggest misconception for songwriters.

Can you tell us who else was a part of making ‘I Love Me, Too’ come to life?

My co writer, co producer Claudio has been working on this with me every step of the way, this has been our baby. We wrote, recorded, and mixed ‘I Love Me, Too’ in  his apartment. My band mates Zach Hall and Brandon Davis also played on the record and my good friend  Masaki Saito who is an incredible producer/engineer who I’ve worked with in the past recorded my vocals.

I know you perform a lot at all the popular clubs around Hollywood, Do you have any plans to showcase these new songs soon?

I’m planning a CD release party/show in early December.

We have a clip of “Stockholm Syndrome” and this is the first time it’s been heard anywhere, We want to thank Tiffany for giving us the first opportunity. Let’s all have a listen.

Wow, I loved the teaser! I can’t wait to hear the rest of the track along with the rest of the album! I know you’re fans are going to be thrilled with this album, can you tell us when and where will ‘I Love Me, Too’ be available?

You can hear the album online and purchase it on itunes in December.

That’s awesome! Tiffany, this was a pleasure, thank you once again for giving us your time and sharing a little about your new album and giving us a taste of “Stockholm Syndrome” which i loved! As always, we wish you continued success! We are enjoying your rise in the music industry and if you have a public release party, we would love to stop by.

Absolutely! Thank you so much! Hope the next interview is about a tour!

Definitely!

Thank you everyone for joining us, as you heard, the album will be available on iTunes and on Tiffany’s website beginning of December. Stay tuned!

We just received the official Fairy Tale wedding highlights, enjoy!

We just received some of the professional pics, special thanks to Armen Asadorian Photography:

In a recent interview with Persian site Kodoom.com, Andy talked about the wedding details and his relationship with Shani.

Kodoom.com: We just heard about your wedding this week. You have sang about beautiful “Dokhtar Irooni” (Iranian girls). How come you got hooked by an American girl?

Andy (with a smile): First I have to inform everyone that my girlfriend for 17 years, Shani Rigsbee, had already become an honorary Iranian! She loves me, the Persian culture, music, food, etc. anyway. Secondly, love cuts across logical, religious, and national boundaries. Humans may seem different than us from a distance, but up close and personal, they are mostly like us, and share same likes, dislikes, etc.

I have known Shani for about 18 years and been her boyfriend for about 17 years. So we have practically lived like a committed married couple and taken care of our two dogs and three horses. We are not that religious or traditional but our decision for matrimony came after a year of sad news such as death of Shani’s grandmother, Shani’s illness, loss of our two dogs, etc. We thought the marriage and wedding process is a joyful event which can infuse positive energy into our lives and our families’, and fans’.

Kodoom.com: Why did then such happy news come so suddenly?

Andy: Our wedding ceremonies start exactly at 11:11:11 on 11/11/11 (November 11, 2011). Those who believe in astrology find this exact time and date very auspicious. So we picked that time. We sent invitations to a large number of family members and friends including many Iranian celebrities. Unfortunately, the venue’s 500 capacity was filled within a day of receiving RSVPs so unfortunately some of our dear friends including some Iranian celebrities cannot be with us on the wedding. However, the wedding and events leading to it, such as Shani’s choice of wedding gown or wedding cake, etc. will be taped, and parts may be sent to Kodoom.com. The entire footage would be available on GLWiz as a pay-per-view program.

Armenianpulse.com is bringing you the pictures as we get them in, please check often!

On a personal note, I grew up with the Baghdadlian family. My parents were best friends with Paul and his wife Ani and I can remember spending endless nights and weekends with them. Paul Baghdadlian was truly an uncle to me and Paulig and Christopher are like my brothers. I will forever miss my Pol Amo and forever will be grateful for his gift to the Armenian people!

We here at Armenianpulse.com would like to point out that there is currently a court case underway for the estate of Paul Baghdadlian and some questions could not be answered at this time, thanks for your understanding.

Hi Paul, thank you so much for giving us your time today, we know this has been a painful struggle in your life and we thank you for answering some questions for your dads fans.

It’s a pleasure to be here Harout, thanks for having me.

Before we get to the last days of your dads life, I would like to talk about your early years and how having such a famous father has shaped your life. At what age did you realize your father was an icon?

I think it happened for me in my pre-teens, I was eleven or twelve, it was around the time when they had the Armenian music festival, Voske Ashoun. My dad & Harout Pamboukjian were the headliners this one time, and I remember we were running incredibly late. In his hurry, my dad missed the artist entrance & we ended up walking through the stadium bleachers.. at first the crowd was in shock, then the whispers and pointing began, by the time we hit the stadium floor we had thousands in attendance cheering our walk towards the stage! I cant remember who was singing when we made our entrance, but I’m sure he couldn’t have been happy.

Growing up, was it difficult having such a famous father?

At times, sure.. It was difficult when he traveled, which was constant.. It was also a tough task sharing him with the rest of the world.. I hate that we had such a turbulent relationship over these past 12 years, I always envied Isaac, Harout Pamboukjian’s son, I wish I could’ve been that close with my pop, learned more about life from his viewpoint. But in all honesty, I cant even imagine my life if he wasn’t who he was. I’m nobody, but the Jr next to my name represents greatness in the eyes of many Armenians around the world.. I take pride in that; when a couple tells me they first fell in love to a Paul song, I’ve even had someone tell me they conceived their first born son to one of his songs.. that’s life changing to hear.. The amount of lives he has impacted is truly astonishing.

I’ve also heard a lot of stories like that, do you think he ever realized how huge he REALLY was?

No doubt! it’s impossible not to know, when thousands upon thousands of people paid him the respect as an artist. Although he was definitely the type who loved to hear the praise, i think he knew from an early age that he had a gift. For me though, what made him stand out more through the years is that he really kept trying to reinvent himself, you could tell by listening to the way his music, lyrics, even his vibrato evolved over time. Oh yeah, he knew.. he was reminded of his remarkable gift from his fans over the course of forty years, constantly!

During the course of his life he released hundreds of songs. Do you have a personal favorite?

I have never been able to narrow it down to one, I don’t think I can narrow it down to ten! There’s so many, how do you pick one, or two? I can tell you this though, I have a definite favorite album, ‘Miayn Intz Siree’, Every song is better than the last, all live instruments, my favorite musicians & he’s murdering it with his range, like in Nazeli Aghchik, just a flawless album in my opinion. Arants Kez is my second favorite.

Arants Kez’ is also one of my favorite albums, lots of memories! Your dad wrote some of the most beautiful Armenian songs. Where did he get the inspiration for those haunting lyrics?

I don’t think anyone but him can answer that question.. But my guess is although extremely charismatic, charming, hilarious, he had a very sad, dark side.. I always assumed it was the result of his mother dying at a young age, my brother & I have been through that, you cant ever recover from that.. Growing up he was always surrounded by music, of all languages, I know he’s been heavily inspired professionally by Adiss Harmandian, George Wassouf & Joe Cocker just to name a few.. many of the lyrics were his, some were written by my mom, a few from Dzaghig, plus people would send him lyrics & music from around the world!

I would like to point out that my mom Nazely has also written a few songs, ‘Naz Aghchig’ and ‘Kaghdni Abroumner’ just to name a couple. In fact, In the early 90′s, she gave your dad her poetry book full of beautiful writings. One of my favorite songs is ‘Apsos Char Achker’, which was your mom’s creation. Which other songs did your mom help write?

She wrote a few, but by the time he was done with her version it wasn’t hers anymore! the one verse i remember being my favorite was “Karnan oreree bes du mishd baydzar mnas.. Tev arnes oo trchees oor vor du tsanganas.. Yerpek ko gyankum kesh orer du chunenas..” I remember i was younger, my dad surprised my mom with a new car, and he had hand written these lyrics on a piece of paper left on the dashboard.. she held on to that note as if it was the most valuable thing on the planet.. a few months later that song ‘Tchem Garogh’ was released on the ‘Sirem’ album and became an instant classic.

Wow, that is a beautiful story! In 2001, you released your own debut album. Was it ever your father’s dream for you to follow in his footsteps?

If it was he had a funny way of showing it. I truly believe that at times he himself was unhappy being a performer, it’s like the same aspects that many of us admire and wish we could experience were the root of his angst and pain. Many times he advised me to do bigger things with my life than just sing, and i understood what he meant.. When I sing, it’s usually an itch I get to perform. If I don’t scratch it, I’m not a very fun guy to be around. Although music is one of my most valued passions in life, performing live is just a hobby of mine. He was surprisingly supportive when I was about to release my album, he even came to the studio and did a duet with me! That was surreal. My father is my all-time idol, he came, sang the lyrics I had written, put me to shame and went home as if it never happened. I know I can never be like him, no one can ever be like him, and that’s a big part of why I don’t pursue performing aggressively.. If something comes along that makes sense, of course I’ll do it, it would be an honor. People are always ready to cast their judgments and start comparing, even though they’re the same people who know he was one of a kind, it’s not fair to compare any singer with him.. I have a project I’m working on, haters gonna hate regardless, but I wrote a song about my father, from a personal point of view. I don’t know when I’ll be ready to hit the studio, but it’s something I wanna do.

Well, i certainly can’t wait to hear that! There is a lot of misconceptions that the life of a singer is a glamorous one, but it is an extremely demanding career, we know that your dad worked very hard and he was the ultimate perfectionist. How much did that lifestyle contribute to your dad’s health problems?

I don’t think the career itself was the biggest problem. If there was one thing that came easy to him, it was singing & entertaining a crowd. It’s no secret that he was a heavy smoker and he enjoyed drinking.. I’m sure years of an unhealthy lifestyle easily contributed to the rapid decline in his health.. He never developed proper eating habits, even towards the end, the three months I stayed with him, he never had an appetite. Look, we are all responsible for the upkeep of our bodies & minds.. And yet, we all live with so many forms of unhealthiness. He had many warning signs through the years that should’ve shaken him to make some changes, but unfortunately for all of us, he was not able to preserve his health. But one thing I like to consider, in his fifty eight years of life, he’s probably really lived it like it was a hundred fifty eight years, traveled the world a thousand times over, lived the true rock star life, but in his own humble way.

When did he first receive his diagnosis?

He knew for close to a year.. Such a strong willed person, he truly believed he could take a year or two off, fight off his illness and come back better than ever. I joked with him that he should go retro and grow the afro out again for the comeback.. He was too proud to say it, but I’m sure he knew what was going on inside of him.. the body lets you know when things aren’t right.. When I would massage his feet to help him fall asleep, he would say, I am never gonna walk again, I know it. How am I gonna get out of this bed, much less get on a stage and sing?’ That was an emotional time I spent with him, in so many ways. I learned so much from how he was treating the last days of his life. Total class act, on his terms and ready to go whenever God called for him. His spirituality inspired me to find God in my life once again, after I abandoned Him ten years ago because of the death of my mom.. Who knew ten years later God had to take my dad in order for me to wake up and turn to Him once again, I had to go through these growing pains to really settle in to who I want to be. A good friend of mine told me this is now the third stage of my life, and I’m hopeful, with the guidance of God, third time’s the charm!

I hope and pray that it is Paulig! When did you first learn of his illness?

I was hearing rumors, just like everyone else.. Last year in August, i remember being on facebook and someone had posted a video of my dad performing somewhere, and the date was current, just a few days old.. i hadn’t spoken to him for about a year, we were unfortunately kept away from each other with hearsay & false gossip. I was genuinely curious as to how he was doing, so I clicked to see.. It was tough, the first time I watched it, he didn’t look like the same guy, skinny, frail, it took effort for me to focus on what he was saying, but when I caught a few words of his speech, I had to start it over.. He was talking about how this would be the last time he’d be performing there for a while.. He wanted to take a few years off, and work on his health issues.. It hurt me deeply to hear that.. He was touring like crazy towards the end of the last year, so I figured I would just wait & see him in Pasadena on New Years Eve, but that didn’t happen..

Sadly, he was too ill to perform. What a lot of people want to know is, why didn’t he get treatment sooner?

I have a ton of questions about what happened the one year we were separated.. There are only a few people who know for sure, but they are dishonest people who had more to gain from the man’s death, so I don’t think we’ll ever have all of our questions answered..

There have been rumors of what exactly he had. can you tell us what your father was diagnosed with originally?

I can’t. The people closest to him would not give me a straight answer as to what was really going on. My inclination was brain tumor, but then there was talk of lung cancer, he may have had a stroke, a lot of things were unclear. But i can tell you that lung cancer & respiratory failure were ruled as the causes of death.

How tragic Paulig! We heard he traveled to Lebanon and Syria to get treatment. Why did he choose that route?

He told me the people out there love him so much that they would find a way to cure him, even with just their will. Plus, the doctors here were not being very optimistic.. I feel like he didn’t have the right guidance. He was “taken” there for more than just health issues, but legally I have to be vague on this stuff, so I can’t say too much more. I was taken out of the picture, many years in advance, decisions were being made for him that ultimately were not in his best interest. He’s a very sweet & kind man, but the devil was constantly preying on him. The radiation he did overseas obviously didn’t help him much either.. I figured our last chance hope was non-traditional forms of therapy, alkalizing detox-s, acid killing chemicals, etc.. We went that route for less than a month, and I swear I was convinced it was working! I didn’t realize it at the time, but the devil got inside his brain, and convinced him that my form of therapy was not only not working, it was killing him faster. I should’ve been more alert, I had my suspicions as to what was going on, who knows? There may have been a chance for a happier outcome.

This is truly sad for us all to hear, your father, Paul Baghdadlian (God rest his soul) tragically passed away on June 28 to the great shock and sadness of Armenians all over the world. Can you tell us how you think your dad would like to be remembered?

Above all else, i think he would want to be remembered as someone who lived everyday of his glorious life spreading the message for Armenians to love one another, to support each other. His art is what made him well known, but through his art he was an advocate of promoting the love of our land, the importance of unity for our people. He always said if we loved & supported one another, no other race would be able to keep up with us! More than anything else he left me, he instilled a core love & appreciation of my heritage, and in the end, I feel, to truly make him proud of me, I need to do the same for our next generation.

And what in your opinion was his greatest contribution to Armenian music as a whole, was it his extraordinary songwriting ability, was it his passion and ability for his audience to feel every emotion, or his enormous influence on the singers that came after him?

All of the above! Just add to that, his huge heart, be it musically, spiritually, etc. Look, most singers I know swear by him, the love & support I have been swamped with on Facebook, his Official Fan Page that I operate, it’s what kept me going through this first month without him.. Everybody listened to him and interpreted his message, his emotions a totally different way.. Every song he has owns a different meaning to me, a different memory, a time in my life.. We all lost an artist who will never be replaced, but in addition to that, I lost my hero, my dad. Thank God there are so many videos and recordings! Every time I drive by Forest Lawn on the 134, and I’m listening to his songs, I roll my windows down and blast it.. I hope he can hear me, I hope he’s on my side in the battle I’m about to embark on..

Your father had planned to release a brand new CD during his 2010 New Years Eve performance, which never happened, can you tell us what happened to that CD and will we ever hear those songs?

It is currently in the wrong hands, but I am certain in a short period of time, thanks to the legal process i have begun, the tracks will be returned to its rightful owner, the estate of Paul Baghdadlian, which is composed of my brother Chris, my sister Verginie & myself. Everything of value he owned, his properties, cash, jewelry & even recordings have disappeared. Many laws were broken, a lot of shady stuff went down the last months of his life. I have not yet heard the new album’s recording yet, because for the three months I stayed there I was too busy tending to my father, but I am aware that he laid down vocal tracks as scratch. With all due respect to our talented group of Armenian singers, i feel my dad singing a scratch version is as moving & powerful than most other singers’ final edits. Once we obtain the legal rights to the unreleased tracks, I will be combining them with many never before heard tracks he had recorded over the last three decades, including the track ‘Anoushig Ani-s’, which he wrote, recorded & never released, as a gift to my mom. I plan to put out a collector’s edition box set, which is sure to be a great piece of memoribilia for the ultimate Paul fan. Stay tuned!

That box set is the best news I’ve heard today, that is sure to bring joy to his most loved fans, I want to thank you now for your efforts in preserving your dads legacy! You mentioned earlier that you wanted to spread the cause of our people, just like your dad did. Have you given any thought as to what you can do?

For the past ten years, I’ve dreamt of producing an AM based Armenian talk radio show in the Los Angeles area, and also broadcast it on the internet as well. After years of dedication & hard work, I was finally able to put together a talented group of young ARMOs, meaning young Armenians who live in America, and we are ready to move forward with the ARMO Show. In a few weeks, at www.armoshow.com, we will be airing a special broadcast of our show, a heartfelt tribute to our King of Love Songs, Paul Baghdadlian. Visit our website, or find us on Facebook, Twitter. We have some audio up there already to tease people with.

I fell in love with the Demo that you guys provided, no doubt it’s going to be a tremendous hit! We will all definitely check out the ARMO Show Paul. Thank you for giving us some insight with your point of view and may God give you strength in finding your ultimate goals in life. Thank you for speaking with us tonight.

Thank you Haroutig! You & your entire family has been there to see it all.. I love you guys and I wish you continued success here at Armenian Pulse!

We love you too Paul! Would you like to add anything to your father’s fans who are reading this from around the world?

Azk Siretsek, Iraroo Siretsek, Garmir Gabuyd Narnchakuyn Siretsek!

We want to thank Paul for his story and we hope you all enjoyed reading it, Here are just a few intimate family pictures of Paul Baghdadlian, courtesy of Paul Jr. Please click on an image to zoom in.

The track is written by Maria Cozette & Apeh Jan and the music is by MG. The video is directed by Vanik Vic and produced by Maria Cozette. We would like to also point out that the video was sponsored by Exotic Auto Leasing and brought to you by UNTAMED, Owner Vartan Akopyan has been a constant believer in Maria’s talents and has collaborated with Maria on numerous projects. We here at Armenianpulse.com want to congratulate everyone involved, these young talented group of stars are creating some of the best music out there right now and we salute them all!

Hello Maria, thank you for taking the time to chat with us today.

My pleasure. Always supportive of Armenian Pulse Radio!

You have been real busy since November of 2010, that’s when your full debut album ‘Born Ready’ was released. 9 Months into it, how satisfied are you with the outcome and the success so far?

I am thrilled to say the least. Aside from the success in sales, I am more so encouraged and satisfied with the feedback I’ve received from supporters and fans. It has been overwhelming and I’ve not only enjoyed the journey, but have learned a lot from it. I feel that I’ve truly grown as an artist and have attained new skills in music/video production as well. A well rounded experience so to speak!

That’s great to hear Maria, we’ve been hearing nothing but good praise about the album and the direction you are going with your music, we would like to congratulate you on its success! We here at Armenian Pulse Radio love the album and you happen to be one of the top 10 most requested artist here.

Thank you. I’m humbled and flattered by all the praise Armenian Pulse has been supportive in the Soulful Pop movement and I’m ecstatic that my fans have pushed my music to the Top 10!

You recently released your 3rd single off of ‘Born Ready’ titled ‘Outta My System’ which happens to be the most downloaded song off the album and for the first time in your career, you co-produced the music video, is this something you would like to do more, maybe even get into directing?

‘Outta My System’ was a special track for me. I’ve worked with the ever so talented One 2 for many years now and have seen him blossom into the exceptional lyricist that he is today. It was an honor to collaborate with the director, Armand Gazarian, as he graciously allowed me to co-produce my first music video. With that said, I ventured into producing my NEW video for “Not Enough” and thoroughly enjoy the creative aspect of video production. Born a perfectionist, I also enjoy the meticulous work it takes to generate a visually intriguing video. The crazy stress is worth every second and is rewarding to say the least! I do look forward to learning and growing in the realm of production.

Well, you’re doing an exceptional job! The video for ‘Outta My System’ is done well, it’s artsy, hip and very original! It looks like it was a very fun shoot, can you tell us a bit more about it?

Oh wow! Where do I start? Thank you. It was 20 hours in post production. We had shot the bulk of it on green screen. Since the video was meant to portray a dream sequence, all the artsy and trippy graphics were a must. Some may not really get it at first glance, but it grows on you. Honestly, it was a risk but the press and feedback have validated my hard work and for that I am eternally grateful.

No, Serious, you’ve done great, it may have been a risk but you have done it really well! Just a few days ago, you announced that you would be releasing a brand new track today, along with its video! When I said you’ve been busy, I wasn’t kidding! But what’s interesting about this new song is you have teamed up with your long time friend and past musical partner, Apeh Jan. Many people remember you and Apeh Jan during the years with Nuzik Entertainment, which was a very popular entertainment group along with young talents such as A. Chilla, Cap Z, and Gino Slik. What brought on this recent collabo and is this something we can expect more from you two in the future?

Yes, mind numbing hard work is what I have been doing, juicing the very last bit of my creativity to bring forth the best product to my fans. My best I should say… Apeh Jan is not only a fellow artist but a brother to me. We have worked along side one another since 2005, tirelessly making music with what we called Nuzik Entertainment. We built a rep amongst the community as an innovative group of 5 solo artists who introduced a new sound to the Armenian Community. We were both excited to collaborate once again after many years and this track brought our talents together seamlessly. The topic itself spoke to us both and as always, MG produced a “hit” song. As soon as I was done writing to it, I knew I needed Apeh’s energy to take the track to the next level. ‘Not Enough’ is written about the struggles one goes through to “make it” in a not so perfect world. It’s relative to many people our age because we are all trying to pursue our aspirations, beat the odds, and ultimately, achieve our goals. Like in anything, there are always obstacles. It’s a powerful song in its message and also a dope dance track to vibe to. I think Apeh and I are convinced that the magic in the studio will never die out, no matter how long our time apart. Hopefully, our paths cross again. Until then, we are always family.

I just took a sneak listen before you came by and I must say, I’m very proud of you guys. It’s another awesome track! It’s NOT in your album, will you be releasing it on iTUNES as a single track?

Correct! “Not Enough” is not on the album ‘BORN READY’. It is a single and will be available everywhere online including iTunes, CD Baby, Verizon, Rhapsody, Amazon and the video on the Soulful Pop Channel (www.youtube.com/soulfulpop) Stay tuned to Facebook for all info pertaining to my music (www.facebook.com/mariacozette)

Let’s take a short break and premiere the video for our readers right now!

Very nice Maria jan, I like the fact that it’s in the studio, sort of that raw feeling, it gives the viewer the chance to see you making magic happen! I’m sure your fans are going to love this song and video! By the way, awesome lyrics as well! Congrats!

Let’s quickly take a Maria Cozette history tour! At what age did you discover you had a talent for singing and songwriting and how did you find out?

My very first performance was at the age of 4. It was my kindergarten graduation accompanied by my first music teacher Ms. Ani. She guided me through the first stages of my career booking performances, television interviews, and helping me polish my talents. I would explain the feeling I felt when I first performed but no words can describe it. What I can say is that I was ‘Born Ready.’ From then on I worked alongside renowned composer/director Sasoun Paskevichyan in short films, acting, singing, and the leading talent on his television series. Simultaneously, I was also working with Alfred Mardoyan as a lead in his choir which held concerts throughout the year, moving on to award winning competitions and vocal training. My parents sensed my longing for the performing arts and did EVERYTHING they could to support me. By the age of 7, I was studying Ballet, Piano, Acting, Singing, and to keep me grounded, I was also a Homenetmen Ararat Scout for 12 years. My parents instilled a tremendous amount of structure in my life, yet gave me freedom to create and be ME. I was always told regardless of my music, education was of utmost importance. I later obtained my Bachelor’s in Social and Behavioral Sciences. I cannot tell you what a beautiful childhood I had. The love of my parents has nurtured & cradled my talents, keeping me focused. No matter what, I would never become an arrogant, spoiled brat. My music was priority but education and being a good human being would never fall too far behind. Since the majority of my fans are younger, I have sworn that I’d never lose sight of my morals and always convey a positive message. I also commend and encourage all my fellow artists for the hard work they put in and value the criticism of those who are more experienced in my field.

Wow!!!! That’s very impressive! And it’s beautiful to have that attitude, you will surely go far with it! Your lyrics have a bit of a girl power attitude in them, Is it important to you that your audience understands your music and the feelings within it? Or are you happy for them to take from it what they will?

Music is meant for every person to translate in accordance to their own life experience. My personal perspective is that of a woman, but I have a lot of male fans because the message is relative to both males and females. Being a woman, I do strongly believe that we often have to work harder to prove ourselves. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing because we become stronger in that sense. At first I was resistant and almost upset that when I’d talk business to a man, they would seldom take me seriously. My work speaks for itself. I would spend hours writing the song and building the music with the producer, then record, then sit in with the engineer on the mixing session and pick apart the track. I’d then proceed to take the song to master it, sit in on that session, then find ways to promote and market the music. By the time the song was complete, I was exhausted, but I had also attained knowledge in every aspect of making music. As the men that worked in entertainment observed my work ethic, they realized that they needed to take me seriously. I had something to bring to the table. I was not just a pretty face with a voice. Although we sometimes need to work harder, the results speak volumes to those who matter. So it’s not that my songs are about girl power. It’s that they tell a story of drive, ambition, and self empowerment. No matter what, never give up on your dreams.

That was beautifully said Maria, thanks for sharing it so eloquently! What gives you your inspiration when you are writing a song and do songs come to you in unusual ways and places? Or is it more deliberate, where you make a decision to write something?

I am inspired by a lot of things. A simple conversation with a stranger or a rather detailed one with a friend can inspire a world of ideas in my head. I could be driving and a melody or idea pops up, immediately turning on my trusty voice recorder to add on to the 79 other recordings. I am inspired by LOVE; By its power to drive you crazy or cause absolute bliss. I’m inspired by my beautiful childhood and why I am still troubled by personal issues just like everyone else. I am ever so inspired by my fans and the amazing comments they make. I take them with me everywhere I go. I’m inspired by Hate and evil people who thankfully, have caused me to write some good songs And lastly, I am inspired by Life. The irony of many things that guide you through this journey, the despair, grief, and how even in the darkest moment, there is always something beautiful that seeps through.

Do you generally write the lyrics first? Or do you start with the music and/or melodies?

It differs depending on what producer I am working with. Sometimes the music is already composed and I will write the lyrics and melody according to it. And other times I already have a song idea which I convey to the producer and we build on it. Music is limitless.

True! What in your opinion makes a song truly memorable and special?

It’s tough to say but great question Armenian Pulse!!! The beat is sooo important. Creates the mood, the vibe. But to me the most impressionable are the words. That’s what I always pay close attention to when I listen to songs by other artists. And it’s rather annoying because I could never “Just” listen to a song. I analyze its production, writing style, rhythmic pattern, mix, instruments, and vocal production. A blessing and a curse.

Well, that’s a true musician for you Do you have a favorite song you have written and if so why is it your favorite?

Everyone always asks me this. It’s very hard to decide since I write all my songs. Every song is a different world to me. But my favorite song I’ve written so far is “Born Ready” the title track on my album. It’s a moving and powerful ballad, vocally, lyrically, and production wise. It’s pretty simple, to the point, and so many can relate. Gives me goose bumps every time. But again I am attached to all my songs and they all speak MARIA.

What aspect of making music excites you the most right now?

Currently, Songwriting I could say is what I enjoy more than anything else in making music. I LOVE it. I’ve grown as a songwriter and at the risk of sounding immodest, I’m a damn good writer. I’ve learned the ‘formula’ and content placement which is so important in appropriately telling a story through music. The listener needs to really feel you. It is also my favorite way to alleviate stress. After I’m done writing a song, I feel exhilarated, anxious, and excited all at the same time. It’s pretty awesome! I’ve also had the opportunity to write for a lot of other artists which is an amazing experience on its own.

Well, you ARE a damn good writer, I can attest to that! It’s safe to say that you know what you’re doing, it shows in the quality of your work! Are there any shows or concerts planed for Maria Cozette in the near future?

There sure is!! I am in the midst of planning a concert for February 2012. Details will be posted all over the place!!

I’m sure most of your fans are anxiously awaiting those details! In the past, we’ve seen you perform in small venues along with huge theaters such as the Kodak and Gibson, Are you very comfortable on stage, in front of thousands or is there still a shyness or nervousness when you’re out there?

I always get nervous and the adrenaline in my body doesn’t allow me to relax. Usually 10 minutes before I perform. The second I get on stage, I feel at home. I actually enjoy performing in front of bigger crowds. Due to the high quality of stage production, not only is it visually intriguing for the audience, but it also sets the tone, sending me off into my own world <3 Nothing like a big stage, bright lights, and a mic.

What song from your set do you enjoy performing the most?

I enjoy performing my ballads the most because they are where I can vocally express myself the best. It also depends on the venue. If it’s a young crowd, then the upbeat tracks are always fun!

You’re songs, your image and your talent is well beyond good enough to compete with today’s musicians in the American market, what are the things you are doing to try and break into the American market if any?

Wow, thank you!! I do my best. I do ME. I am working with an incredible PR firm, and they are truly working daily to push me into the American Entertainment Industry. They pitch my music for movies, television, commercials, as well as book me for amazing red carpet events such as Comic Con this past year. My objective is not only to break through with my music but I also want to get into doing Voiceovers for cartoons. I am also working with some veterans that have been in the game since the 1950’s. They have represented artists such as Aerosmith, the legendary Janis Joplin, to name a few. All of these people, if anything, guide me and push me in the right direction.

That’s great to hear Maria, we know that day will come very soon, you definitely deserve it! It’s not easy and that leads me into my next question, what aspect of the music business discourages you the most, in any?

The bad reputation people have built around the Entertainment Industry. It’s not all filled with bad people. If you are in it for the music and you are an upstanding individual, then you will end up working with others who are equally focused. Depends on the person. You lay out your path. No one paves the way for you.

Good advice there! What would you be doing if music was not in your path, do you have any other interests career wise?

My passion aside from music has always been working with youth. I was a teacher as well as a program leader for a number of non-profits. As a matter of fact, my students would inspire me on a daily basis. Kids are truly fascinating. I would work with youth or anything pertaining to non-profit/charity. Through my music, I have collaborated with a number of non- profits. Nothing in the world can substitute the feeling you get when you know you are contributing to the greater good. #believe

Maria, can you get anymore perfect? lol I have learned a lot about you today and I’m sure your fans did also. Thank you again Maria for joining us today, We had a blast, but before we let you go, we here at Armenianpulse.com like to ask a few personal and fun questions, so hope you don’t mind answering a few for your fans.

Go for it dude!

erm, hehe, ok, Give us your top 5 artists or songs you simply can’t get enough of.

Lauryn Hill
Gwen Stefani
Kanye West
Garth Brooks (Yes, I love country music)
Ray Charles

Nice! Tell us something most people don’t know about you.

Other than my car, I never listen to music if I’m not making it. And I NEVER watch TV. Silence is Golden.

Interesting! Who was your biggest celebrity crush growing up?

Brad Pitt. Enough Said.

Why am I not surprised, Note to self, in future don’t ask this question, It’s ALWAYS Brad Pitt!!!! ahem! So, what’s your favorite Armenian food?

Karmir Plav and Baghali Plav

What’s your favorite past time or hobby?

Songwriting, Watching Movies (Never Horror), and Enjoying the Great Outdoors. And of course having a good conversation with my closest friends.

Where do you see Maria Cozette in 5 or 10 years?

There are so so many things I want to do. Working with young talent in Artist Development is most definitely one of them as I am currently building my clientele. Who knows where my own music will take me. I just want as many people possible to hear my stories. I don’t do it for the fame. I do it for the Love of Music.

Well that was fun! We really enjoyed it and hope you did as well! We wish you nothing but the best in your career, your life and your upcoming projects. And hope to see more of you real soon!

Armenian Pulse Radio, I thank you for being supportive. Means the world to me. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who has stood by me through my many trials and tribulations. I am, in every sense of the word, an independent artist so those superstars who God put in my life at one point or another have made me feel less alone in my journey to further my career. I hope that my work has made you proud to have represented me and I appreciate every single person for spending their precious time to help me shine. I will never EVER forget any of you. God bless. One Life. Dream BIG.

Well said Maria jan!

For Maria Cozette’s Complete Online Presence please visit the following links!
www.itsmyurls.com/mariacozette
www.mariacozette.com
Soulful Pop Channel
www.youtube.com/soulfulpop

Of course you can also hear her full album on Armenian Pulse Radio

Hello Shakeh, thank you so much for taking time to talk to us today.

Thanks for having me!

First of all, I would like to start out by saying; I was pleasantly surprised by… Wait, pleasantly surprised is not the words I’m looking for. I believe I sent you a message that started with “WOW”… Of course I’m talking about your recent release, ‘Say Yes’ with master producers The EC Twins and Remy Le Duc! The EC Twins are emerging fast as two of the hottest producers on the planet, can you tell us a little bit about the song, the production and how it all came to fruition working with these three guys?

Well, we’ve all known and supported each other for quite some time now. We were all in a studio together one day, and it dawned on us that we haven’t had a track together…so we decided to start one up. It was a natural, logical situation. The production itself didn’t take more than a couple of days at most. I’m fortunate to work with talented artists such as Remy Le Duc and the EC Twins. Remy Le Duc is not only a genius but he’s quick with his productions. Not to mention the EC Twins know exactly what they want to deliver to the crowd with their productions. All elements to the song came together nicely.

The track is unbelievably hot! It’s baseline, melodies, and of course, the vocals! ‘Say Yes’ is sure to become the ultimate summer anthem and it’s already making the rounds of social media. How excited are you with this release and are there any plans to follow “Say Yes” and possibly continue to work with the EC twins?

I’m pretty excited. ‘Say yes’ has been gaining massive support from major and respectable producer/DJs such as Paul Oakenfold and BT (both Grammy nominated, and legends in my eyes). It’s also reached the top 40 on beatport.com, which is our industries leading music download store. I’ve also been told that ‘Say Yes’ has been airing on the radio now. It’s quite humbling.

I’m sure it is, congrats on making the top 40 at beatport! Before we continue, I would like to play the new video “Say Yes” and we’ll be back to continue our Q&A.

That is such a catchy track! And a great video as well, can you tell us a little about the video? Who directed it, where was it shot and so on?

Thank you. Yes, it’s directed by Eli Berg, with additional direction by Remy Le Duc and WJT. It was a three day shoot. Locations were in Hollywood; The Music Box and Guys & Dolls (now turned to the Beverly).

Although you started off as a singer/songwriter, we now know you as a producer and DJ, since you released your debut album in 2010, “September Morning”. Would you like to primarily just sing or are these tracks just one offs?

I really don’t like to limit myself. I enjoy creating music in all forms. For me, music production and singing/songwriting are completely different from one another. Production is technical versus singing is emotional. As a singer/songwriter, I am able to connect with the listener through lyrics, along with my vocal tone and delivery. But as a producer, I aim to trigger the listeners’ emotions through the songs’ structure entirely. Both are different mindset as an artist. I don’t think I can ever settle or make up my mind if I were to choose between the two.

That’s a true artist! At what age did you discover you had a talent for singing, songwriting and playing instruments and how did you find out?

There were several occasions that hinted me off. The first moment was when I was a young girl, I believe at age 6, and it was during the early stages of my piano lessons with my teacher. We did an exercise where I had to call out the note he would randomly play without looking at the keyboard. I would nail the right note each time. He seemed impressed on my accuracy. That moment encouraged me to explore music more. As far as singing, I guess it just happened naturally through my exploration. I decided to take on choir in elementary school…and loved it! I’d say during junior high school was when I had the urge to come up with my own song ideas. One last implication was during my latter years in high school when I decided to take on opera, just to see how far I could test my boundaries. At my first lesson, my instructor asked me if I had ever taken opera lessons…and when I said no, she had a hard time believing me. So really it was through my musical endeavors that I kept discovering my capabilities.

What gives you your inspiration when you are writing music or lyrics or even when just remixing?

As a songwriter, my inspiration comes from people watching or observing a situation. Production inspiration comes from watching my favorite artist play at a venue with proper sound system. My mind goes wild when I experience certain songs live. Especially when I want to make a track that’s different from what people normally are used to, but not completely out of its element.

What in your opinion makes a song truly memorable and special?

Relativity. Hitting a nerve, a memory, a feeling that people can relate to.

Who were your biggest musical influences growing up and who do you find irresistible in today’s music?

BT was, and still is, a major influence for me in the electronic music genre. I admire his work and talents.

Love BT myself. Are you still DJ-ing? And if so, where can your fans find you spinning?

I’ve been extremely busy in the studio writing and collaborating…but I do plan on getting back in the mix real soon.

Looking forward to seeing you live soon! Let’s get a bit personal with some fun facts. Without re-arranging, what are the top 5 tracks you have on your ipod or mp3 player right now?

Pendulum ‘Witchcraft’, Muse ‘Uprising’, Chemical Brothers ‘Container park’, my upcoming production release ‘Alvilda’ and Adele ‘Set Fire to the Rain’

Nice! Who and when was the first big named act you saw in concert?

Nysnc in 9th grade (don’t judge me…haha). I eventually steered towards Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay, Muse, No Doubt…and other influential musicians.

hehe, no need to judge, you were in 9th Grade besides, even I liked a few of their songs lol… ok, tell us something most people don’t know about you.

I want to do a Broadway musical.

Interesting! Biggest celebrity crush you had growing up?

Only had one…and it was Justin Timberlake.

Where do you see Shakeh in 5 years?

Happy, healthy and continuing my profession in the arts.

Shakeh, Thanks so much for giving us your time. We wish you nothing but the very best throughout your career and life.

Thank you! I appreciate the love and support from you guys at Armenian Pulse! For those who want to stay up to date with my latest projects, please check out shakeh.co

You’re very welcome Shakeh!

Dear readers, please take the time to get to experience Shakeh’s work and also, keep up to date with her by “LIKING” her facebook page HERE and follow her on Twitter HERE! Thank you!

A few months ago, I heard a rumor that Rafael Keri would be going into production with well known Hollywood actors and director. I wasn’t the least bit shocked. Although Hollywood has not been so kind to Armenians and the Armenian culture, I knew if one person could do it, it would be Vahik Pirhamzei. To my delight it wasn’t a rumor and we are just a few months away from a full theatrical release of ‘My Uncle Rafael’.

‘My Uncle Rafael’ is the first American comedy to use the very rich Armenian culture as a backdrop. Filmmaker, and former Spielberg assistant, Marc Fusco became intrigued by the project when long-time friend and writer Scott Yagemann told him he was working on a uniquely American screenplay with an old Armenian uncle as a central character. After Fusco met creator Vahik Pirhamzei, who had created a successful franchise of Armenian stage plays, the opportunity grew into a higher cause that would break new ground for Armenians worldwide. After Pirhamzei’s comedy stage franchise sold over 35,000 tickets in Los Angeles alone to the Armenian market, Fusco and producer Michael Garrity realized that if ‘My Uncle Rafael‘ shined a spotlight on Armenians in a fun, realistic way, the entire culture would support the film much the way the Greeks did with ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’.

Bridging the gap between American and Armenian entertainment, Fusco worked with Pirhamzei and Yagemann to transform the characters from Rafael’s family on stage to well-developed film characters in a story with a lot of heart, culture and humor for Armenians and Americans alike. As the screenplay circulated throughout Hollywood, it didn’t take long before some of our finest comedic actors jumped on board. Missi Pyle, John Michael Higgins, Anthony Clark, Joe Lo Truglio, and Rachel Blanchard rounded out the cast quickly, and as we like to say…Lights, camera, Uncle!

So far, the film has tested very high and sneak preview audiences have been talking about the film for days after watching it.

Armenianpulse.com had the opportunity to ask the director of the film, Marc Fusco (former Protege of Steven Spielberg) a few questions about the film and it’s fruition into a full featured film.

AP: Last year, the character “Uncle Rafael” was featured on stage with a very successful run in a play. Was it it’s success that drew attention to making it a motion picture?

MF: Yes… a series of three very successful plays about the Uncle Rafael character excited us about making a movie. We saw the plays and brought on writer Scott Yagemann to work with Vahik and create a screenplay.

AP: Has there been any interest by major movie studios in picking this movie up?

MF: We’ve just begun to reach out to major distributors about the movie and we’re getting great response so far.

AP: Can you tell us a little bit about the budget of the film and how long did the production of the film last.

MF: We made the film with a seven figure budget and had an 18 day shooting schedule. We shot in and around Glendale and Los Angeles.

AP: You have some very successful, well known actors in the film, How were you able to get such prominent Hollywood actors?

MF: It all started with a great script that attracted well known actors. We also have strong relationships with agents and managers & a wonderful casting director who helped make this happen.

AP: Has it played in Festivals and if not is there any plans for showcasing ‘My Uncle Rafael’ in future festivals?

MF: We’ve just begun submitting the film to festivals and will be doing a sneak preview at the Boston International Film Festival this month.

AP: Vahik, The star of the movie is a very funny actor, Is he as funny in real life as he is in his roles?

MF: He’s naturally a very funny person and an excellent dramatic as well as comedic actor. Vahik brought the title role of Rafael to life in this film. He plays both the 71 year old RAFAEL character as well as Rafael’s son HAMO.

AP: I recognized a lot of famous Armenian Faces in the trailer, can you tell us, what other Armenian celebrities make cameo appearances?

MF: Armenchik makes a really great cameo appearance. Anahid Avanesian also has a strong part playing Hamo’s wife Linda. Up-and-coming star Tadeh Amirian plays Robo (Hamo’s protege)

The Story
When a TV producer is desperate to find a replacement series, she convinces a 71 year-old Armenian, tell-it-like-it-is Uncle to star in a new reality show. Cultures collide when Uncle Rafael is thrown into the Schumacher family household where he, in his own Armenian way, has one week to save an already broken and dysfunctional American family from falling apart. The only rule—everyone must follow his rules!

Based on characters from the famous, award-winning Armenian stage comedy “Rafael Keri Gandzere,” creator and actor Vahik Pirhamzei plays multiple roles in the film including Uncle Rafael himself.

‘My Uncle Rafael’ will be premiered at the Boston International Film Festival this month and you can also visit the official Movie website and official facebook and Twitter pages for more information and future release dates:
Website: http://www.myunclerafael.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Uncle-Rafael/159380487429010
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/myunclerafael

Our newest interview and Sona’s first interview here is non-other than Rising Armenian pop/rock star Arevik Alaverdyan. Enjoy!

Hello Arevik, welcome to Armenian Pulse. Congratulations for having your profile here.

Hello, thank you very much

Thanks for providing your time.

It’s a great pleasure for me.

So nice to do an interview with from a talented Armenian like yourself, before my 1^st question, I would like to mention it’s been more than a year, that you started your career as a pop-rock singer in Armenia. Although it’s a new style here, you have attracted much attention.

Thank you so much for the kind words. A year has passed since my first video “Everything or Nothing” appeared in the pop-rock genre. Unfortunately the break lasted a bit longer, but I continue working and my second video is going to be shot very soon. The song is ready, it’s in English and has rock style motives.

Great! You don’t let your fans miss you.

Right

Wasn’t it difficult for you to appear in the pop-rock and rock styles before the Armenian audience? Did you have any fears?

No, I didn’t, because the style is very familiar to me and I have grown up under that music. My brother is a rock musician, the famous guitar player Hovak Alaverdyan and from my young age I’ve been very close to him. I always was at his concerts and enjoyed my time very much by listening to that music. I had a wish to start a rock artist career & to have band. I love pop-rock, it’s very familiar to me & I will keep going on with it, maybe in the future there would be mixes with another genres, but I’ll keep pop-rock & rock as the bases.

Talk about your dreams: to have a band, to have concerts…

Yes, my wishes came true, as many professional musicians, who are also my friends, helped me with everything. And that’s the reason that the concert which took place on May 2nd in one of the local rock clubs named “Stop” Music Club was titled “Arevik Alaverdyan & Friends”. It was a mini concert with a live band & I sang world famous pop-rock covers. I am lucky and proud to have such talented friends who helped me to do everything on a high level.

I imagine how people, especially rock-lovers enjoyed the concert. Within having a proper taste of music, it has to be mentioned about your style. You are always in your own style of fashion, dictate your own taste during different photo-shoots and performances. How do you manage that?

So, it’s obvious? Really, it doesn’t take a long time to decide what to wear and what not to wear, because I know my style, my body and I am also aware what fits me. And being a big fan of fashion I am always informed and fallow what goes on in the fashion world. So it isn’t so difficult for me to choose my gowns. I am happy to be appreciated.

Do you have any beloved brand?

No, I do not. The brand isn’t so much important for me. The only thing in wearing something where it feels cozy.

You’re a very talented and stylish singer! It is obvious that you gave great detail on your first video “Everything or Nothing”. Tell us about the song and the video.

Let’s talk about the song first. I have worked with very talented people, for which I am thankful, because the first impression to the audience is very important. The composer is Arthur Zakiyan, with whom we are going to have our future collaborations. The lyrics are by Anita Hakhverdyan, the producer is DerHova and the director is Aren Bayadyan. I worked with a professionals and happy being in the right hands.

The video for “Everything or Nothing”

Yes, it is really obvious that a good job has been done. It has been really appreciated because the video has quickly appeared in the top lists of national music channel of Armenia and for several times it has become the day’s hit.

You are so much informed! Yes, really I was so amazed that the song and the video was broadcast more times than I expected. I am very happy for that and I am trying to do my best for my future work to have successes.

Your new song titled “Save Our Love” had its premiere recently. The song is in English and by the way you have served it in a very beautiful way.

Thanks, yes the song is in English, the music and lyrics are by my best friend Karen Grigoryan and the genre is more in rock style than in pop-rock.

Listen here Arevik Alaverdyan - Save Our Love

The song is great! It’s new and has already got big number of listeners. I think the fact speaks about you being demanded.

I can’t say anything about my being demanded but the fact, when I present something new to the audience, it always attracts too much attention and lasts long periods. I receive different opinions, they can be either good or bad, but I don’t feel any indifference about my work. I don’t know, I suppose it’s good.

The song will gain huge attention after the video.

I think much attention will be payed on the style after the shooting, cause this song isn’t pop-rock, it’s hard. The essence is the video to be proper to the song, and me to be suitable to the image.

Have you started the works on the video?

The discussions have already started with the director of the video, I won’t mention any names yet, but the works on the video will be started soon. I hope the results will satisfy everyone and my expectations will be justified.

We’ll be wating for your new video with great patience and interest.

Thanks a lot, I hope to satisfy my fans with my work, I do it with great pleasure.

Well Arevik, thank you for giving us your time. We wish you good luck and big success in your career.

Thank you very much!

You can catch Arevik’s songs on Armenian Pulse Radio!

Visit Arevik’s Official Facebook Fan page

Hello Emmy, thank you for taking the time to talk to us today.

Hello there Thanks for choosing me for an interview.

First of all congratulations on being selected to represent Armenia in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest, we have no doubt you will succeed in bringing the top prize to Armenia.

I appreciate your kind words! That’s what I dream about and work day and night to make this dream come true.

Can you tell us where you are now as far as song selection? How many songs were your offered? Have you started to narrow it down? Who are the leading contenders for producers and songwriters so far?

First of all, I would like to thank all those songwriters from the entire Europe who sent over 70 songs to me. It’s a real challenge to have them selected in a very short time and try to choose the best from the best. Now, “Public TV of Armenia”, CJSC has made the final decision of 4 songs to be presented during the National Final. I wish I had lots of broadcast time to sing all of the songs collected so far, because I understand that behind each song there are stories, feelings, emotions and hours of hard work that I truly appreciate. I feel sorry for those who didn’t make it to the final 4, but you are all deep in my heart for being so helpful. We received songs from Spain, Sweden, Bulgaria, Germany and many other countries including local Armenian composers and even from the United States of America. After the selection, we will start the promo-tour. On February 10 we will reveal the names of the selected songwriters and composers as well as the producers of the show. So let it be a bit of a surprise for now.

yes I definitely agree, let’s keep it a surprise Last year, you and Mihran Kirakosian participated in Armenia’s national selection with the very original and catchy song “Hey (let me hear you say)” along with a team of professional dancers. We at ArmenianPulse.com and the majority of Armenians thought it was the best song to represent Armenia and were all disappointed at the outcome of the national selection. Without really going into details of the scandal, how are you today in regards to that decision a year ago? What are your thoughts today?

Thanks a lot for your recognition of our work with Mihran and the dancers. We honestly put our hearts and souls in making it that day, but we all saw the outcome. It was rather disappointing and disillusioning to find out we were not selected, but that was the page of our lives we turned over and don’t want to get back to the bad memories of it. Currently I agreed to take part in this years Eurovision Song Contest for I was pretty much asked and persuaded by “Public TV of Armenia” CJSC, that it’s high time to take this challenge. There are no more childish feelings about taking part in ESC, I grew up to realize that it’s just another page of my career as a singer to work at. What I know exactly and what I do now is just working day and night on my vocals, choreography and English. It’s no fun actually, but a huge responsibility.

Getting the negativity out and concentrating on your career is the way to go, so good for you Emmy! There was a rumor that Mihran would be joining you again this year, is there any truth to that? if not is he helping you in any fashion, maybe Choreography?

As soon as the song is selected we could know if he’s the one to make the show and burn the stage. If the song needs him badly, I’d be the one to ask him for a favor to work with me.

That sounds like it’s going to be hot! No doubt you have many supporters and fans that are rooting for you and we all know you always bring your best to these types of performances. They are all with you!

Those guys and girls make me feel really happy every single day! I wake up every morning with an inexplicably wonderful feeling that someone needs my songs. I have so many reasons to breathe and live, and most of them are just because of my fans! Love you all <3

You just had 2 very successful concerts at the Armenian National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre in Yerevan, congratulations on that, are you happy with the outcome and is there any more shows planed in other countries?

Thank you! I am more than happy to have had the coolest gig in my life with the most professional musicians. I already miss them all and hope to be working with them in the future. Since I’m concentrated on ESC right now, there are no plans for big concerts yet. I should think about it later…

Yes, your band, Fresh Band from the USA was outstanding, well done selecting them. We’re going to play a short fan made video clip of one of the shows from two weeks ago. Special thanks to www.paparazzi.am for providing us the clip.

Sounds awesome and that was just a fan made video from the seats! Let’s move a bit to the past and how Emmy Bejanyan became an Armenian Pop Star. At what age did you discover you had a talent for singing and songwriting and how did you find out?

I started singing in my mom’s utero for sure. But the surrounding world started listening to the real sounds when I was 8. )

Wow, 8 years old? So, at what age was your first stage performance and how was that experience?

I was 8 and Artur Grigoryan’s “Hayastan” song was my first serious experience at TV sphere.

Who were your biggest musical influences growing up?

I am fond of old school performers and music, but basically I listen to every single genre in order to have an idea about what’s goin’ on, in the range from rock to rabiz.

You have a very powerful vocal presence, Your singing is packed full of emotion, is it important to you that the audience understands your music and the feelings within it? Or are you happy for them to take from it what they will?

I do not expect my audience to behave exactly the way the crazy fans do. And I don’t want them to be unnatural in their feelings. I just want them to stay themselves.

Along with the powerhouse ballads you perform, Your style also tends to lean towards the RnB genre, is this the genre that defines EMMY or is RnB simply the genre you really like?

Ops… I didn’t think of R’n'B as something separate from me, that’s a real piece of me that you can’t cut off. But I’m also filled with other pieces and genres.

What song from your set do you enjoy performing the most?

It really depends on my mood and current situation…

Yes, that makes sense, What aspect of making music excites you the most right now?

I love to see the songwriters bouncing ideas when writing the notes. I join the process very smoothly and enjoy it with every single cell of me.

Do you have any plans for a new CD release soon? If so, can you give us some insights?

I have several proposals from the U.S. and Armenia to record a CD. We’re negotiating to make the right choice.

Recently you were in Los Angeles and you took care of a lot of music business, photo shoots, music video, etc. How do you like Los Angeles, the Armenian people here and is there a plan to do a full concert in LA?

I felt like home in LA, the collaboration part is really exciting and I hope for more soon. As for the concert, I’d take the invitation with greatest pleasure!

We will now take a break and show the latest music video shot in Los Angeles titled ‘Don’t Feel Good’, can you tell us a bit about this song and video?

The song was written by LeMel Humes and the video has been produced, shot and worked at in LA by Gregory Everett. All info is represented in “Behind the Scenes” video, so I’ll be short with writing

Great, we will play the “behind the scenes” video and then the actual video which was premiered here a couple of weeks ago.

Great job to all involved! Ok, let’s get a bit personal with some fun facts. What are the top 5 tracks you have on your iPOD or MP3 player right now?

Black and Yellow ( Wiz Khalifa ), Remember me ( Mary J Blige ft. TI ), Love you always ( K.P ) , Unthinkable ( Alicia Keys ) , Just a Dream ( Nelly ) , Like a Star ( Corinne Bailey Rea ) Runaway ( Linkin Park ) , Will you ( POD ), Whip my hair ( Willow Smith ) ,You (feat Lil Wayne) , Ice Box (Remix Omarion Ft . Usher & Fabolous) – ( My top 5 )))))) looooool

wow, now that’s a list! thanks for sharing I’m sure your fans would find that interesting. Ok, Who and when was the first big named act you saw in concert?

I’ve been traveling a lot with my parents since my childhood and had so many exciting moments at concerts of many many stars, it’s really difficult to chose just one of them.

Fair enough… Who is your favorite singer or singers of all time?

Corinne Bailey Rea, D’Angelo, Jamie Cullum, Jamiroquai, Jill Scott, Mary J Blige, Karen Clark Sheard, Linkin Park, POD, Pink, NERD, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Ericah Badu, Earth Wind And Fire, Lenny Kravitz, Rihanna, Prince, Stevie Wonder. . . . . . . you want some more ????? ))))))

hahaha, no, that’s great! lol ok, Who are some of your favorite Armenian singers?

I suppose this is politically incorrect question to me. Let me say that I love my mom as a singer, as mom and as a producer Well, OK Zara Tonikian from my mom’s generation singers.

Ahhhh, ok, playing it safe, I understand Well, you’re mother, Nadezhda Sargsyan is a brilliant artist so you have every right to choose her. Next question, what’s your favorite Armenian food?

Ker u sus ( eat and shut up )))))) )

LOL hahaha, I love that! Tell us something most people don’t know about you.

Do you know that I do not eat cheese?!

No we didn’t know that, So they never said “Ker u Sus” with cheese? lol ok, last question, where do you see EMMY in 5 years?

Ask me in 5 years

Ahhhh, we’ll just have to do that!!! Thank you EMMY for giving us your time. We know you have a very busy schedule ahead and we want to wish you nothing but the best for Eurovision 2011 and your career.

Yehea!!! Thanks a lot for the interview and keep your fingers crossed for me!!! Love you!!!

We sure will Emmy, Much luck in bringing that 1st prize home!

You can catch EMMY’s songs on Armenian Pulse Radio!

Visit EMMY’s website
Visit EMMY’s Official Facebook Fan page

We are fortunate enough to be doing a live interview with the world famous Andy Madadian and we would like you to get involved! Please use the form below to submit your questions for Andy!

The interview will not only get published on the site but will also be live on Armenian Pulse Radio!

We will choose the top 10 questions for Andy and ask him on your behalf on this night. Then we will randomly select two lucky people from the top 10 to receive Andy’s ‘Live at the Kodak Theater’ DVD or one of his popular CD’s.

Remember the 10 best questions get to be asked, so please think of your questions wisely, thank you very much!

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