All tagged artists to watch
Back in early 2020, we had the pleasure of speaking to Nara Avakian about their creative process as an instrumentalist, their journey as a musician, and all of the potential ideas in store for the future. One of those ideas came to fruition with the recent release of Pigeons, an LP embodying Nara’s first time singing along to their carefully-mastered instrumentals! The album, while serving as a genuine continuation of the musician’s prior body of work, also offers a wholly new sound, providing for a refreshing dynamic of consistency and innovation. Read on to learn more about how Nara’s Room created Pigeons and the process of transitioning from an instrumentalist to a singer-songwriter.
Meet Satellite Citi, the husband-and-wife rock duo consisting of Anna Gevorkian and Shaunt Sulahian that produces incredibly artistic, concept-driven albums and performances with hints of sci-fi and fantasy peppered throughout their work. We had the chance to speak with Shaunt and Anna about their musical journey thus far, as well as their new single dedicated to the Armenian victims of the recent war in Artsakh between the autonomous region and Azerbaijan. Read on to get all the deets on this incredible musical project!
Nara Avakian shares about her serendipitous creative process, her progression as a songwriter, and her unique journey as a modern instrumentalist.
The MarinaHov Band is unique in its creation of a powerful new sound accomplished by combining Armenian folk music and contemporary Western instrumentals with elements drawn from jazz, classical, and Middle Eastern sounds. After being pleasantly surprised by the band’s innovative take on Armenian folk music at their July 25th show at The Mint (shourj par at a rock club in L.A., anyone?), I was lucky enough to sit down with the lead singer and founding member of the group, Marina Hovhannisyan, to discuss their unique role in creating, evolving, and engaging with ancient melodies and sounds. Read on for Marina’s own perspective on her role in creating this especially crafty interpretation of centuries-old folk, prepared and performed for the present day!
Russo is your new favorite summer fling that actually sticks. The band released a debut EP earlier this summer, aptly titled House With A Pool, introducing Russo’s signature sound, which is very much influenced and informed by the music of the 80s and 90s, but is also fresh and apt for the times with lyrics and beats relatable to today’s culture. As indicated by their catalogue of songs, their artsy music videos, and energetic live performances, the band has a lot of fun, and invites the listener to do so as well.
Shaunt Avakian is a musical force to be reckoned with. Throughout the past year or so, Avakian has proven not only committed to growth as a singer, songwriter, and stellar guitarist, but also to his vision of bringing his creative passion and emotion to the ears of listeners. Earlier this year, he released his debut EP, Intensity, featuring six tracks which showcase Avakian’s versatility and ability to appeal to a variety of genres and styles while remaining true to his voice. Read on for our interview with the artist, and be sure to check out Intensity!
