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Serj Tankian (born August 21, 1967) is an
Armenian-American Armenian Americans ( hy, ամերիկահայեր, ''amerikahayer'') are citizens or residents of the United States who have total or partial Armenians, Armenian ancestry. They form the second largest community of the Armenian diaspora after A ...
singer, musician, songwriter, political activist and entrepreneur. He is best known as the lead vocalist, primary lyricist, keyboardist, and occasional rhythm guitarist of heavy metal band
System of a Down System of a Down (also known as SoaD or simply System) is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, voc ...
, which was formed in 1994. Tankian has released five albums with System of a Down (''
System of a Down System of a Down (also known as SoaD or simply System) is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, voc ...
'', ''
Toxicity Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subs ...
'', ''
Steal This Album! ''Steal This Album!'' is the third studio album by Armenian-American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on November 26, 2002, by American Recordings and Columbia Records. Produced by Rick Rubin and Daron Malakian, it peaked at number ...
'', '' Mezmerize'', '' Hypnotize'') and five solo albums ('' Elect the Dead'', ''
Imperfect Harmonies ''Imperfect Harmonies'' is the second studio album by Armenian-American singer Serj Tankian. The album was released on September 21, 2010 through Reprise Records and Serjical Strike Records. Release and promotion ''Imperfect Harmonies'' was orig ...
'', '' Harakiri'', ''
Orca The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus '' Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white ...
'', '' Jazz-Iz-Christ''), and '' Elasticity'', as well as collaborating with musicians such as rapper
Tech N9ne Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "tech nine"), is an American rapper. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold over two ...
and folk singer
Arto Tunçboyacıyan Arto Tunçboyacıyan ( hy, Արտո Թունջբոյաջյան; hyw, Արթօ Թունճպոյաճեան, Art'ō T'unjpoyajean; born August 4, 1957) is a United States-based avant-garde folk and jazz multi-instrumentalist and singer of Armeni ...
. He also released '' Elect the Dead Symphony'', a live orchestral version of ''Elect the Dead'' featuring the
Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO) is a symphony orchestra based in Auckland, New Zealand. Its principal concert venue is the Auckland Town Hall. The APO is the accompanying ensemble for performances by NZ Opera and the Royal New Zeal ...
. He is the founder of the record label
Serjical Strike Records Serjical Strike Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates under Republic Records. Background Serjical Strike was founded in April 2001 by Serj Tankian (lead singer of System of a Down), and has cast away t ...
, and is currently represented by Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group. Tankian is regarded as one of the best vocalists in heavy metal, with praise given to his unusual delivery and his wide
vocal range Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of st ...
. In 2006, he was ranked No. 26 on the ''
Hit Parader ''Hit Parader'' was an American music magazine that operated between 1942 and 2008. A monthly publication, it focused on rock and pop music in general until the 1970s, when its focus began turning to hard rock and heavy metal. By the early 1980s ...
'' list of "Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists". A study conducted by VVN Music found that Tankian possesses a high and diverse vocal range of 4.2
octaves In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
. In 2002, he co-founded the non-profit political activism organization
Axis of Justice Axis of Justice is a non-profit organization co-founded by Serj Tankian and Tom Morello. Its purpose is to bring together musicians, fans of music, and grassroots progressivism to fight for social justice together. Formation In a 2007 intervie ...
, alongside guitarist and fellow activist
Tom Morello Thomas Baptist Morello (born May 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is best known for his tenure with the rock band Rage Against the Machine and then with Audioslave. Between 2016 and 2019, More ...
. In 2011, he was awarded the Armenian Prime Minister's Medal for his contributions to the recognition of the
Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily through t ...
and the advancement of music.


Early life

Tankian was born in
Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
, Lebanon, on August 21, 1967. He traces his ancestry to the cities of
Dörtyol Dörtyol () is a city in Hatay Province, Turkey. It is a port city and oil terminus located 26 km north of the city of Iskenderun, near the easternmost point of the Mediterranean at the head of the Gulf of İskenderun. Geography The name Dörtyo ...
,
Kayseri Kayseri (; el, Καισάρεια) is a large industrialised city in Central Anatolia, Turkey, and the capital of Kayseri province. The Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality area is composed of five districts: the two central districts of Kocasina ...
,
Tokat Tokat is the capital city of Tokat Province of Turkey in the mid- Black Sea region of Anatolia. It is located at the confluence of the Tokat River (Tokat Suyu) with the Yeşilırmak. In the 2018 census, the city of Tokat had a population of 155, ...
, and
Urfa Urfa, officially known as Şanlıurfa () and in ancient times as Edessa, is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of Şanlıurfa Province. Urfa is situated on a plain about 80 km east of the Euphrates River. Its climate features ex ...
, all of which are in modern-day Turkey. His four grandparents were survivors of the
Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily through t ...
. At age seven, he moved to the U.S. with his parents, and the family settled in Los Angeles. In his youth, he attended the bilingual
Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School ( hy, Լոս Անջելեսի Ռոզ և Ալեքս Փիլիպոս ազգային վարժարան) is a K-12 Armenian school in the neighborhood of Little Armenia in Los Angeles, California. It was founded by ...
, which was also attended by his future System of a Down bandmates
Daron Malakian Daron Malakian (born July 18, 1975) is an Armenian-American musician. He is best known as the guitarist, songwriter, and second vocalist of metal band System of a Down, and as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and songwrit ...
and
Shavo Odadjian Shavarsh "Shavo" Odadjian ( hy, Շավարշ "Շավո" Օդաջյան; born April 22, 1974) is an Armenian-American musician, best known as the bassist of heavy metal band System of a Down. He also plays bass in a trap group called North Kingsl ...
. Tankian was accepted into
California State University, Northridge California State University, Northridge (CSUN or Cal State Northridge) is a public university in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. With a total enrollment of 38,551 students (as of Fall 2021), it has the second largest un ...
, graduating with a marketing degree in 1989. During his sophomore year, he first began to play instruments, particularly the keyboard, and write songs. He also started his activism during his college years, attempting to draw attention to the recognition of the
Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily through t ...
during his time as president of the university's Armenian Students Association. He has said that his activism started with the
Armenian Youth Federation The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) ( hy, Հայ Երիտասարդական Դաշնակցութիւն) is the youth organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. Founded in 1933, the AYF became a global Armenian organization and stands ...
(AYF) and the Shant Student Association of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation The Armenian Revolutionary Federation ( hy, Հայ Յեղափոխական Դաշնակցութիւն, ՀՅԴ ( classical spelling), abbr. ARF or ARF-D) also known as Dashnaktsutyun (collectively referred to as Dashnaks for short), is an Armenian ...
(ARF).


Career


System of a Down (1994–present)

The beginnings of System of a Down lie in a band named Soil (not to be confused with the Chicago-based band
SOiL Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former ...
) with Tankian on vocals & keyboards,
Daron Malakian Daron Malakian (born July 18, 1975) is an Armenian-American musician. He is best known as the guitarist, songwriter, and second vocalist of metal band System of a Down, and as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and songwrit ...
on vocals & lead guitar, Dave Hakopyan on bass, and Domingo Laranio on drums. The band initially hired Shavo Odadjian as their manager before he was to transition into their rhythm guitarist. Laranio and Hakopyan later left the band feeling that it was not going anywhere, leading to Soil splitting up. After the split, Tankian, Odadjian and Malakian formed System of a Down, named after a poem Malakian wrote called Victims of a Down. The band recruited drummer Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian, an old school friend of Malakian, and Odadjian who had played with Malakian in a band called Snowblind during their teens. In mid-1997, Khachaturian left the band because of a hand injury (he subsequently co-founded The Apex Theory, which included former Soil bassist Dave Hakopyan). Khachaturian was replaced by John Dolmayan. Dolmayan is also the drummer for the band Indicator and former drummer for Scars on Broadway. The band began touring the
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban ...
rock clubs, building a strong following. The band achieved commercial success with the release of five studio albums, three of which debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200. System of a Down has been nominated for four
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
, and their song " B.Y.O.B." won the
Best Hard Rock Performance The Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance was an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards until 2011. The academy recognized hard rock music artists for the first time at the 31st Grammy Awards (1989). The category was ori ...
of 2006. In May 2006, the band announced they were going on hiatus. On November 29, 2010, following several weeks of internet rumors, System of a Down officially announced that they would play shows in Europe during Festivals and in North America, mostly in the U.S., embarking on a tour for the following three years. The band was in limbo of not releasing any new tracks until November 2020, when they released " Protect the Land" and "
Genocidal Humanoidz "Genocidal Humanoidz" is a song recorded by Armenian-American heavy metal band System of a Down. It was released as a double A-side single with " Protect the Land" on November 6, 2020, through American Recordings and Columbia Records, to raise ...
", which were songs that were made to help the cause of the
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict in 2020 that took place in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories. It was a major escalation of an unresolved conflict over the region, involving Azerba ...
. The song's profits went to the Armenia Fund.


''Elect the Dead'', side projects, and guest appearances (2007–2009)

Tankian's breakthrough as a solo artist came with the release of his debut record '' Elect the Dead''. The first singles from ''Elect the Dead'' are " The Unthinking Majority" and " Empty Walls". The music video "Feed Us" was released on the Swedish and UK MTV. Tankian appeared on MTV's ''You Rock the Deuce'' to promote ''Elect the Dead''. A music video was directed and filmed for every song on the record, each by unique directors. Tankian explained, "I asked each of the directors for their visual interpretation of my work. They were asked not to write treatments and that they could make whatever they liked. The results have been overwhelmingly amazing!" Some music videos were initially released exclusively to those who purchased the limited edition of ''Elect the Dead'', while all of the music videos, except "Money", have since been publicly released on Tankian's website and
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
channel. Some videos have alternative versions which were originally released as well, but later altered. Three different promo versions of the album have surfaced to the public. The instrumental promotional version, issued by Serjical Strike/Reprise Records and intended for the music and movie industry, contains instrumental versions of the twelve album tracks. Another promotional version, issued by Reprise Records and made only for individual reviewers, features the album in final master form. This promotional CD-R, which was labeled "Smart Talk" as a codename for "Serj Tankian" to prevent leaking by unauthorized persons, also indicates that the album was finalized prior to . Before this a similar but undated promo, also under the name 'Smart Talk', was issued featuring the final versions of the songs, albeit not yet mastered. Whilst the printed track list on this version is identical to the released album, tracks ten and eleven are in fact juxtaposed on the promo itself. The official tour for ''Elect the Dead'' commenced on October 12, 2007, with a show at Chicago's
Vic Theatre The Vic Theatre is a music venue located in Chicago, Illinois. Vic Theatre can easily accommodate 1,400 people or with a seated capacity of 1,000. History Vic Theatre, designed by architect John Eberson, opened in 1912 as the Victoria Theatre. I ...
. Roughly one thousand people attended the first concert. Although Tankian had stated he would not be performing any material by System of a Down, he performed "Charades" and "Blue", songs co-written by Daron Malakian, the guitarist of the band. "Blue" had previously appeared on their Fourth Demo Tape in 1998, and Charades was attempted during the 2005 ''Mezmerize''/''Hypnotize'' sessions, but never released (although a short video clip of Tankian and Dolmayan playing the song in a recording studio was featured on "the Making of ''Mezmerize''/''Hypnotize''"). Although it is originally a song restricted to piano and vocals, Tankian used his backing band, the
Flying Cunts of Chaos Flying Cunts of Chaos (F.C.C) is a rock band on Serj Tankian's label that was also his backing band on his tours from 2007 to 2009. History Serj Tankian was asked how the name "Flying Cunts of Chaos" was chosen and he stated; "Well, I was ori ...
(F.C.C.), to provide guitars, drums, and bass. The songs "Beethoven's Cunt", " Empty Walls", and " Sky Is Over" are available as downloadable content for the video game ''
Rock Band A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two gui ...
''. A portion of the song "Lie Lie Lie" is currently featured in the opening title sequence of NBC's '' Fear Itself'', a horror anthology show from the creators of ''
Masters of Horror ''Masters of Horror'' is an anthology television series created by director Mick Garris for the Showtime cable network. Origin In 2002, director Mick Garris invited some director friends to an informal dinner at a restaurant in Sherman Oaks, ...
'', and can be viewed on the show's main website. Tankian sang with
Les Rita Mitsouko Les Rita Mitsouko (, translation: ''The Rita Mitsukos'') were a French pop rock group formed by Fred Chichin and Catherine Ringer. The duo first performed as Rita Mitsouko at Gibus Club in Paris in 1980. They went on to become one of the most a ...
on the song "Terminal Beauty". Also, he sang with the band
Fair to Midland Fair to Midland was an American alternative metal band based in Texas. They produced two self-released albums before signing to Serjical Strike, Serj Tankian's vanity label at Universal Republic. There, they released their only major record labe ...
during a live improvisational version of their song "Walls of Jericho", from the album '' Fables from a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True'', which was a massive hit with fans. Tankian is also politically involved. Together with
Tom Morello Thomas Baptist Morello (born May 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is best known for his tenure with the rock band Rage Against the Machine and then with Audioslave. Between 2016 and 2019, More ...
, he founded the organization
Axis of Justice Axis of Justice is a non-profit organization co-founded by Serj Tankian and Tom Morello. Its purpose is to bring together musicians, fans of music, and grassroots progressivism to fight for social justice together. Formation In a 2007 intervie ...
and often speaks publicly against violence and injustice in the world. Tankian released a new song "Fears" in November 2008 exclusively in support of
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and s ...
's Global Write-A-Thon. On March 16, 2009, Tankian performed an orchestral version of the album ''Elect the Dead'' with the
Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO) is a symphony orchestra based in Auckland, New Zealand. Its principal concert venue is the Auckland Town Hall. The APO is the accompanying ensemble for performances by NZ Opera and the Royal New Zeal ...
in New Zealand. The live performance was captured in a CD/DVD titled '' Elect the Dead Symphony'', which was released on March 9, 2010. In 2009, Tankian collaborated with the band
Viza Viza or VI·ZA (formerly known as Visa) was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, using oud, duduk and percussion fused with more conventional rock elements such as guitar, bass and drums. The band has released various EPs and ful ...
(previously known as Visa) for their track "Viktor". Viza is signed to Tankian's Serjical Strike label.


''Imperfect Harmonies'' (2010)

Tankian's second solo album was originally due in 2009. It is said to be more of a
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
and
orchestral An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, ce ...
based sound. Said Tankian said of the second album: The album had the working title ''Music Without Borders'', however, the final album title is ''Imperfect Harmonies''. On June 23, 2010, a promo single from his upcoming album ''Imperfect Harmonies'' was released called "Borders Are". The first radio single from'' Imperfect Harmonies'', "Left of Center", was released on July 13, 2010. A third single, "Disowned Inc." was released on August 9, 2010. ''
Imperfect Harmonies ''Imperfect Harmonies'' is the second studio album by Armenian-American singer Serj Tankian. The album was released on September 21, 2010 through Reprise Records and Serjical Strike Records. Release and promotion ''Imperfect Harmonies'' was orig ...
'' was released on September 21, 2010. Preceding the album's release, two contests were announced (one consisting of brainteasers related to the album/song titles, the other an art contest) in which fans could win prizes such as Tankian's autograph and merchandise. On August 22, 2010, a music video for "Left o Center" was released on Tankian's MySpace account. The premiere date for Tankian and Sater's ''Prometheus Bound'' at the American Repertory Theater was February 25, 2011. Tankian said that collaborating on the show has been a great learning experience for him. "I've been using a lot of my archives, a lot of different types of music that I had already put together for underscoring and what not," he said. "It's quite diverse, from noise to jazz to electronic stuff to hip-hop songs to rock songs to cool, piano dark underscores, and that's a whole different bag of tricks there because it's always evolving. Unlike a film score that's very linear and you get a scene to score for, this is something where you do another workshop and one song is gone, that underscore changes to 20 seconds and they need something else on the spot. Everything's always changing until the show comes, so it's quite interesting." In January 2011, Tankian released a music video for his song "Reconstructive Demonstrations" from his album ''Imperfect Harmonies''. Tankian also announced on his
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dust ...
page, during the video's release, that a new EP entitled '' Imperfect Remixes'' would be released sometime within 2011. On March 1, Tankian released ''Imperfect Remixes'' and the music video for "Goodbye", a remix of "Gate 21" from ''Imperfect Harmonies''. Tankian co-wrote a musical with the American playwright
Steven Sater Steven Sater is a Tony Award, Grammy Award, and Laurence Olivier Award-winning American poet, playwright, lyricist, television writer and screenwriter. He is best known for writing the book and lyrics for the Tony Award-winning 2006 Broadway musi ...
. It is based on the
Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic pe ...
tragedy
Prometheus Bound ''Prometheus Bound'' ( grc, Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης, ''Promētheús Desmṓtēs'') is an Ancient Greek tragedy traditionally attributed to Aeschylus and thought to have been composed sometime between 479 BC and the terminus ant ...
. It opened at the
American Repertory Theater The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is a professional not-for-profit theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1979 by Robert Brustein, the A.R.T. is known for its commitment to new American plays and music–theater explorations; to ne ...
on March 14, 2011.


''Harakiri'' (2012), ''Orca'' (2013), and ''Jazz-Iz-Christ'' (2013)

In early July 2011, Tankian posted a video on YouTube showing two samples of new songs. During the video he said "next year". In multiple interviews he has stated that he has been working on a rock record that will be released in 2011, and some side projects including jazz, electronic, and symphonic records. It was later confirmed that his third album would be called '' Harakiri'' and will be released on July 10, 2012. In 2012, he planned for this to be the first of four new albums. The first single from ''Harakiri'', "Figure It Out", was released on May 1. A music video for the song appeared on Tankian's official YouTube page. A second single from the album, "Cornucopia", was released on June 10. A third single, title track "Harakiri", was made available as a preorder bonus from Tankian's website on June 20. On August 12, 2011, Tankian traveled to Armenia, where he was received at Government House by then-
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...
Tigran Sargsyan Tigran Sureni Sargsyan ( hy, Տիգրան Սուրենի Սարգսյան, born 29 January 1960) is an Armenian political figure who was Prime Minister of Armenia from 2008 to 2014. Previously he was Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia from 1 ...
, who awarded him with a Commemorative Medal () for his "contribution to the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide Armenian genocide recognition is the formal acceptance that the systematic massacres and forced deportation of Armenians committed by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, during and after the First World War, constituted genocide. Most hist ...
and the advancement of music". Tankian promised to return and put on a concert to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, which he did on April 24, 2015, playing for free for over two hours in
Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and i ...
's Republic Square. He released his fourth studio album '' Orca Symphony No. 1'' on June 25, 2013. The album takes the form of a classical symphony. A professionally sampled studio version was released on November 30, 2012, while the live recorded version was released on June 25, 2013, through
Serjical Strike Records Serjical Strike Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates under Republic Records. Background Serjical Strike was founded in April 2001 by Serj Tankian (lead singer of System of a Down), and has cast away t ...
. His fifth studio album '' Jazz-Iz-Christ'' was released on July 23, 2013, by Serjical Strike Records. The release features Tankian's vocals on only four of the 15 tracks; all others are instrumental, except for "End of Time", which features a female vocalist. In 2014, he collaborated with Italian DJ
Benny Benassi Marco "Benny" Benassi (; born 13 July 1967) is an Italian DJ, record producer and remixer. He is widely seen as a pioneer of electro house, a genre brought into the mainstream by his 2002 summer club hit " Satisfaction". He started his career ...
for the single "Shooting Helicopters". On April 9, 2013, Tankian collaborated with Device, a project led by Disturbed frontman
David Draiman David Michael Draiman ( he, דוד מיכאל דריימן; born March 13, 1973) is an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distorted, operatic, baritone voice and percussive singing style, he is best known as the lead vocalist of the h ...
. He had a guest appearance on the song "Out of Line" on Device's self-titled album. Tankian also appeared on the
Tech N9ne Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "tech nine"), is an American rapper. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold over two ...
album '' Something Else'' in 2013 on the song "Straight Out the Gate".


Film scores (20172019)

He was a surprise guest performer for the
Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience ''Game of Thrones'' Live Concert Experience is the concert tour by the HBO epic fantasy series '' Game of Thrones'' featuring composer Ramin Djawadi. The all-arena tour was announced on August 8, 2016 at an intimate concert in Los Angeles, Cal ...
in Los Angeles on March 25, 2017, singing " The Rains of Castamere." His rendition of the song also made it onto the soundtrack for the eighth season of ''Game of Thrones'' in 2019. In June and July 2017, he was a guest on multiple shows of the Prophets of Rage during System of a Down's European tour, singing "
Like a Stone "Like a Stone" is a song by the American rock supergroup Audioslave, released as the second single from their eponymous debut studio album ''Audioslave'' in January 2003. The song topped both the ''Billboard'' Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and Hot ...
" in memory of his friend,
Audioslave Audioslave was an American rock supergroup formed in Glendale, California, in 2001. The four-piece band consisted of Soundgarden's lead singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell with Rage Against the Machine members Tom Morello (lead guitar) ...
's
Chris Cornell Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary lyricist and songwriter for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave ...
. In November 2017, Swedish independent label Woah Dad! acquired the albums that Tankian recorded for
Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operates through Warner Records, one of its flagship labels. Artists currently signed to Reprise Records include Enya, Michael ...
. Tankian composed music for ''
I Am Not Alone ''I Am Not Alone'' is an Armenian-American documentary film, directed by Garin Hovannisian and released in 2019. The film profiles Armenian politician Nikol Pashinyan and his role in the 2018 Armenian revolution.Graham Isador"System of a Down's S ...
'', a 2019 documentary film about the
2018 Armenian revolution The 2018 Armenian Revolution, most commonly known in Armenia as #MerzhirSerzhin ( hy, ՄերժիրՍերժին, meaning "#RejectSerzh"), was a series of anti-government protests in Armenia from April to May 2018 staged by various political and ...
.Graham Isador
"System of a Down's Serj Tankian on Making Music for a Revolution"
''
Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
'', September 13, 2019.
He was also an executive producer of the film.


''Fuktronic'' (2020)

''Fuktronic'', an electronic music collaboration with
Mindless Self Indulgence Mindless Self Indulgence (often referred to as MSI) is an American electropunk band formed in New York City in 1997. Their music has a mixed style which includes punk rock, alternative rock, electronica, techno, industrial, hip hop, and brea ...
's Jimmy Urine was released in May 2020, after the duo released a sample on
SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
. ''Fuktronic'' is described as "the team of Serj Tankian and Jimmy Urine from Mindless Self Indulgence, making a soundtrack for the ultimate British Gangster Film. It's an electronic album with 12 tracks (4 instrumental and 8 tracks that have original scripted dialogue that portrays the trials and tribulations of a fresh out of prison British gangster who hasn't learned his lesson)."


''Elasticity'' (2021)

Tankian released his first ever EP titled '' Elasticity'' on March 19, 2021. He announced the release of his EP, and released the title track "Elasticity", along with a music video for it, on February 5, 2021. In his announcement, Tankian stated "When I conceived possibly doing another record with the guys from System of a Down a few years back, I started working on a set of songs that I arranged in rock format for that purpose, As we weren't able to see eye to eye on the vision going forward with a SOAD album, I decided to release these songs under my moniker." The EP features songs like "Electric Yerevan", which is described as a "rallying cry" for Armenia, "Rumi", a poetic song about Tankian's son, and "Your Mom", which has been described as a "political mash-up".


''Perplex Cities'' (2022)

Tankian released his second EP titled '' Perplex Cities'' on October 21, 2022.


Artistry


Influences

Tankian grew up listening to traditional
Armenian music The music of Armenia ( hy, հայկական երաժշտություն ''haykakan yerazhshtut’yun'') has its origins in the Armenian highlands, dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE, and is a long-standing musical tradition that encompass ...
in his exiled community in Lebanon and sang it with his father Khatchadour Tankian. He discovered pop music only once his family moved to Los Angeles in the 1970s via the
Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry Gibb, Barry, Robin Gibb, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in ...
' soundtrack to ''
Saturday Night Fever ''Saturday Night Fever'' is a 1977 American dance drama film directed by John Badham and produced by Robert Stigwood. It stars John Travolta as Tony Manero, a young Italian-American man from the Brooklyn borough of New York. Manero spends h ...
'', that led him to delve into it. In his 20s, he bought every record by
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
, whom he has called the most "universal" artists he is aware of. Tankian said that the first hard rock album that left an impact on him was 1992's '' Angel Dust'' by
Faith No More Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before settling on the current name in July 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist ...
. When System of a Down toured with Faith No More singer Mike Patton, who at the time fronted his other band
Mr. Bungle Mr. Bungle is an American experimental rock band formed in Eureka, California in 1985. Having gone through many incarnations throughout their career, the band is best known for music created during their most experimental era. During this time, ...
on the 2000
SnoCore Tour The SnoCore Tour, occasionally typeset as Sno-Core, was an annual festival tour of the United States. It features performances by some of the most popular groups largely of the alternative rock and metal spectrum. Other than 2008 and 2016, the eve ...
, Tankian said that both vocalists "had some of the most interesting conversations" of his life. Besides the experimental vocals of Patton, Tankian is greatly influenced by
Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of ...
, especially by his albums '' Sheik Yerbouti'' and '' Joe's Garage''. Tankian holds in high regard the soundtrack of ''
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'' ( it, Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo, literally "The good, the ugly, the bad") is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood as "the Good", Lee Van Clee ...
'' by
Ennio Morricone Ennio Morricone (; 10 November 19286 July 2020) was an Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor, and trumpeter who wrote music in a wide range of styles. With more than 400 scores for cinema and television, as well as more than 100 classi ...
, and the albums ''
Decoy A decoy (derived from the Dutch ''de'' ''kooi'', literally "the cage" or possibly ''ende kooi'', " duck cage") is usually a person, device, or event which resembles what an individual or a group might be looking for, but it is only meant to lu ...
'' by
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
and '' …And Justice for All'' by
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
. He also much admires the reinvention that the British band
Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass ...
went through in their 2000 record '' Kid A'', saying that it serves as an example to other artists.


Other ventures

In 2018, Tankian founded Kavat Coffee, a company that focuses on Armenian coffee.


Views and activism

Tankian is passionate about human rights, recognition of genocides, and social justice. These traits have helped to shape his lyrical style. He has organized and participated in many protests, from
Armenian genocide recognition Armenian genocide recognition is the formal acceptance that the systematic massacres and forced deportation of Armenians committed by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, during and after the First World War, constituted genocide. Most ...
to
Axis of Justice Axis of Justice is a non-profit organization co-founded by Serj Tankian and Tom Morello. Its purpose is to bring together musicians, fans of music, and grassroots progressivism to fight for social justice together. Formation In a 2007 intervie ...
(AOJ) protests held by him and AOJ co-founder
Tom Morello Thomas Baptist Morello (born May 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is best known for his tenure with the rock band Rage Against the Machine and then with Audioslave. Between 2016 and 2019, More ...
. He also covers current issues in his music. In his music, issues like the
War on Terror The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...
,
overpopulation Overpopulation or overabundance is a phenomenon in which a species' population becomes larger than the carrying capacity of its environment. This may be caused by increased birth rates, lowered mortality rates, reduced predation or large scale ...
,
genocide Genocide is the intentional destruction of a people—usually defined as an ethnic, national, racial, or religious group—in whole or in part. Raphael Lemkin coined the term in 1944, combining the Greek word (, "race, people") with the ...
,
environmentalism Environmentalism or environmental rights is a broad Philosophy of life, philosophy, ideology, and social movement regarding concerns for environmental protection and improvement of the health of the environment (biophysical), environment, par ...
, and the American prison system are addressed. He and his System of a Down bandmates were featured in the 2006 documentary film '' Screamers'', which covers the United States' position on genocide. In the film, Tankian interviews his grandfather, Stepan Haytayan, a survivor of the
Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily through t ...
, who recounts his experience of it.


Views on religion

Tankian said in an interview that he has "the same religion as that tree over there". He said, "It's a mix of Native American,
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
, and Transcendental ideas. I like to think of earth as mother. I like to think of sky as grandfather. God has been used for ulterior motives." In another interview, he said, "I believe very firmly that indigenous populations had a really good, intuitive understanding of why we're here. And we're trying to gain that same understanding through psychology and intellect in modern civilization."


Political views

Following the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
, Tankian wrote an essay in which he stated, "If we carry out bombings on Afghanistan or elsewhere to appease public demand, and very likely kill innocent civilians along the way, we'd be creating many more martyrs going to their deaths in retaliation against the retaliation. As shown from yesterday's events, you cannot stop a person who's ready to die." In the 2008 Democratic Party primaries, Tankian originally supported
Dennis Kucinich Dennis John Kucinich (; born October 8, 1946) is an American politician. A U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1997 to 2013, he was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States in 2004 and 2008. He ran fo ...
, but subsequently stated that
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
"presents the best possible scenario for a hopeful future, but I don't personally put my trust in any political office". In the 2016 Democratic Party primaries, he endorsed
Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2007. He was the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district from 1991 to 20 ...
and wrote on
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dust ...
, "When it comes to standing up to the oligarchs, leading the fight for civil rights, income equality, and so much more, no other politician has been so consistent and incorruptible as Bernie Sanders." He further praised Sanders, "He's said what he's done and he'd done what he says in the Senate. All his contributions are from private individuals; everyone else's are from major donors and corporations. It does not take a genius to see who's working for whom here." Concerning the Syrian Civil War, Tankian advocates negotiating with
Bashar al-Assad Bashar Hafez al-Assad, ', Levantine pronunciation: ; (, born 11 September 1965) is a Syrian politician who is the 19th president of Syria, since 17 July 2000. In addition, he is the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Armed Forces and the ...
, letting Iran deal with
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ' ...
(ISIS), whom he accused Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey of supporting. Tankian has stated he supported
Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2007. He was the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district from 1991 to 20 ...
and that although it was "frustrating" for his brother in law
John Dolmayan John Dolmayan (; born July 15, 1972) is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American musician, best known as the drummer of System of a Down. He is also the drummer for the band Indicator and former drummer for Scars on Broadway. Dolmayan ranked number 33 ...
to support
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
, he added that they are "on the same page with Armenian issues." Tankian is also friendly with current Armenian Prime Minister
Nikol Pashinyan Nikol Vovayi Pashinyan ( hy, Նիկոլ Վովայի Փաշինյան, ; born 1 June 1975) is an Armenian politician serving as the prime minister of Armenia since 8 May 2018. A journalist by profession, Pashinyan founded his own newspaper in ...
, who wrote a song called "Hayastane" () which Tankian performed in April 2020. Tankian was also an executive producer and composer for the documentary ''
I Am Not Alone ''I Am Not Alone'' is an Armenian-American documentary film, directed by Garin Hovannisian and released in 2019. The film profiles Armenian politician Nikol Pashinyan and his role in the 2018 Armenian revolution.Graham Isador"System of a Down's S ...
'', which chronicled the rise of Pashinyan. Tankian is a supporter of the
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...
protests, as he stated in his interview with H-Pem, h-pem. In 2020, Tankian condemned the actions of Azerbaijan in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and expressed his support to Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh. Since September 27, 2020, when the war broke, Tankian has been very active on social media, posting daily messages and has spoken to a number of media outlets about the issue, including Forbes.


Animal rights and environmental issues

Tankian is an advocate of environmental and animal protection. He became a vegetarian, claiming in an interview with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA that his change was due to "touring and its variety of edible crap", and he also felt it was "instinctive somewhat". Furthermore, he also feels the need for respect towards "mother earth". In July 2009, he signed a PETA petition against the slaughtering methods of chickens in KFC slaughterhouses.


Personal life

On June 9, 2012, Tankian married his long-time girlfriend Angela Madatyan, an Armenian woman from Vanadzor, in a private ceremony in Simi Valley, California. On October 24, 2014, he announced that they had a son named Rumi. The family lives intermittently between Warkworth, New Zealand and Los Angeles as of 2015. Tankian is the brother-in-law of his System of a Down bandmate
John Dolmayan John Dolmayan (; born July 15, 1972) is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American musician, best known as the drummer of System of a Down. He is also the drummer for the band Indicator and former drummer for Scars on Broadway. Dolmayan ranked number 33 ...
, as their respective wives are sisters.


Discography


Solo

* '' Elect the Dead'' (2007) * ''
Imperfect Harmonies ''Imperfect Harmonies'' is the second studio album by Armenian-American singer Serj Tankian. The album was released on September 21, 2010 through Reprise Records and Serjical Strike Records. Release and promotion ''Imperfect Harmonies'' was orig ...
'' (2010) * '' Harakiri'' (2012) * '' Orca Symphony No. 1'' (2013) * ''#Fuktronic_(2020), Fuktronic'' (2020) * ''Cool Gardens Poetry Suite'' (2021) * ''Cinématique Series: Illuminate'' (2021) * ''Cinématique Series: Violent Violins'' (2021)


With System of a Down

* ''
System of a Down System of a Down (also known as SoaD or simply System) is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, voc ...
'' (1998) * ''
Toxicity Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subs ...
'' (2001) * ''
Steal This Album! ''Steal This Album!'' is the third studio album by Armenian-American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on November 26, 2002, by American Recordings and Columbia Records. Produced by Rick Rubin and Daron Malakian, it peaked at number ...
'' (2002) * '' Mezmerize'' (2005) * '' Hypnotize'' (2005)


With Jazz-Iz-Christ

* '' Jazz-Iz-Christ'' (2013)


Collaboration albums

* ''Serart'' (2003) (with
Arto Tunçboyacıyan Arto Tunçboyacıyan ( hy, Արտո Թունջբոյաջյան; hyw, Արթօ Թունճպոյաճեան, Art'ō T'unjpoyajean; born August 4, 1957) is a United States-based avant-garde folk and jazz multi-instrumentalist and singer of Armeni ...
) * ''Enter the Chicken'' (2005) (with Buckethead) *''Fuktronic'' (2020) (with Jimmy Urine)


Video games

* ''Total Paranoia'' - ''Batman: Arkham City'' (2011) * ''No Tomorrow'' - ''Metal: Hellsinger'' (with Two Feathers) (2022)


Bibliography

*''Cool Gardens'', 2001, MTV Books *''Glaring Through Oblivion'', 2011, It Books


Filmography

*Screamers (2006 film), ''Screamers'' (2006) *''My Little Prince'' (2012) *''The Last Inhabitant (film), The Last Inhabitant'' (2016) *''1915 (film), 1915'' (2016) *''Furious (2017 film), Furious (Легенда о Коловрате)'' (2017) *''Spitak (Спитак)'' (2018) *''Truth to Power'' (2021)


Awards and nominations

System of a Down has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, of which they won one in 2006 for "Best Hard Rock Performance" for their song " B.Y.O.B.".


Grammy Awards

, - , align="center", , "Chop Suey!" , align="center", Best Metal Performance , , - , align="center", , "Aerials (song), Aerials" , align="center" rowspan="3", Best Hard Rock Performance , , - , align="center", , " B.Y.O.B." , , - , align="center", , "Lonely Day" ,


General

* In 2005, System of a Down won an MTV Europe Music Award for Best Alternative. * In 2006, System of a Down won an MTV Good Woodie Award for their song "Question!".


References

;Notes ;Citations


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tankian, Serj Serj Tankian, 1967 births American musicians of Armenian descent American people of Lebanese descent Lebanese people of Armenian descent Lebanese emigrants to the United States Musicians from Beirut Armenian expatriates in New Zealand Lebanese expatriates in New Zealand Armenian rock musicians Lebanese rock musicians American anti–Iraq War activists American anti-war activists Lebanese anti-war activists Anti-corporate activists American essayists American multi-instrumentalists Lebanese multi-instrumentalists American rock pianists American male pianists Heavy metal singers American male songwriters American baritones Grammy Award winners Ethnic Armenian musicians Melodica players American heavy metal singers System of a Down members Living people Singers with a four-octave vocal range 20th-century American pianists Alternative metal singers