NEW SINGLE

Manoukian has the recipe to melt hearts. Powerful vocals, beautiful piano accompaniment, and a much needed message of hope. 

Manoukian, welcome to VQS! Tell us a little bit about you and your music.
Hey guys, thanks for having me! My name is Raffi Manoukian, and I’m originally from Montreal, Canada. Having spent many years in Southern California, I’m currently living in Boston, where I’m a research scientist by day, and a singer-songwriter by night and any other free time I have! I’ve been playing piano and writing and performing my own songs since my teenage years, and have been in several bands in the late 80s, 90s and 2000s. in 2010 I wanted to learn music production to be able to record and release my music as a songwriter. For several years I took many online courses and slowly built a home studio, which I affectionately call Sidewalk Cafe Studios! (Sidewalk Cafe is one of the first songs I wrote, and can be heard on my website)
From 2017 to 2019, I wrote and produced 9 original songs covering a spectrum of topics from love, life, friendship and loss. I had initially released each one separately, then as an EP on Spotify, and now they are all part of one downloadable album from my website. This was a thrilling experience for me, rediscovering my passion for songwriting, constantly learning about music production and simply embracing the creative process! It was a labor of love.
My main influences over the years have been Sting, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, George Michael, Jamiroquai, Bryan Adams, to name a few! I also love jazz and try to infuse a jazzy and soulful vibe into many of my songs. As I don’t perform as often as I used to, I’m trying to get my music into Film or TV which is a whole other learning process!

“When they’re going through something difficult, it’s important to give them the understanding and space that they need…” – Manoukian

Congrats on the release! What was your inspiration when you were writing this song?
The inspiration of this song comes from how we empathize with those that are close to us. When they’re going through something difficult, it’s important to give them the understanding and space that they need, and finally knowing when they are doing ok….something as simple a little smile is so powerful and can convey so much.

What is your vision for this song? What lessons would you like to impart with your audience?
We’re all connected at a deeper level than we are aware. When we miss a loved one who lives far away or if we feel compassion for someone going through hard times, or joy for someone close to us that has achieved something important to them….all of this is a manifestation of how we share and experience each other’s feelings and I think that’s what empathy is all about. So seeing someone you care about smile or cry or be at peace, will affect you in a similar way and the important thing is that you are there for them…and you’ll be waiting for a sign, like a smile that suddenly appears on their face, to know that everything will be alright in the end.

What is your favorite part of the song?
My favorite part of the song is the ending where the key resolves from minor to major, while singing the words “everything’s alright”. That kind of of modal change gives a sense of hope and contentment.

Anything else we should know about it? Future releases? Upcoming shows?
I submitted a video of myself playing the song in my studio for the Tiny Desk Concert contest this year…we’ll see how it goes haha. It’s on my YouTube channel. I have been trying to maintain a frequency of new song releases at about once every 2-3 months. So we’ll see what’s next. That being said I did just recently a song last month called Good Times which is a story about old friendships and how they persist through time even though the friends may have been apart for years. This song is based on my friendship with a very good and old childhood friend. We were apart in the beginning of our adult lives, each with his own path and life situations but we were both thrilled to pick up where we left off. 

When you need a groovy and honest song to relax to, start streaming “Everything’s Alright” right here:

Connect with Manoukian:

Website  |  Instagram  | YouTube  |  Spotify

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