CBC Music Contest – Vote for My Friend Tatevik Sarkisyan

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Biographical Info — Copy/Pasted –  Credit to: CBC Searchlight competition – Tatevik Sarkisyan

Tatevik Sarkisyan is a singer/songwriter/producer/performer based in Toronto, Canada. Her main genres are pop and jazz but she also writes dance music, Latin beats, rock’n’roll and country.

Drellander was born Tatevik Sarkisyan from Armenian parents in Moscow. She began her musical journey at the age of 6 as a choir lead and piano performer at school concerts.

She came to Canada at the age of 16 and became known in the Montreal local community for performing a classical repertoire in 8 languages. At 19 she developed a passion for song-writing and presented to a small audience her first musical composition “Time”.

The singer/songwriter/producer now has more than 160 written songs behind her in a variety of styles.

Tatevik has received great reviews for her work including praise from tenor and McGill voice coach Franco Tenelli who says: “One of Tateviks greatest gifts is a beautiful voice that can be used in almost any style of music including classical and pop. In addition she is also a composer and excellent songwriter. This versatility is a unique gift itself and ensures us we have a real talent.”

At 24 Tatevik moved to Toronto and took on the artist name “Drellander” which sounds like “dreamlander”. In 2004 Tatevik collaborated with writer/film director Robert Wilson on a short film A Dying Fall that aired on CBC in July 2006 and won first place at WorldFest Houston. Tatevik’s multiple credits for this film include art direction, craft services, make-up and wardrobe, contract management as well as playing a small part in the movie. Tatevik worked with Robert at Tamerlane Productions until 2009.

In 2011 she recorded her song Oasis with indie music producer and Indie Week judge Dave Thomson of Digital Underdog Productions and released it on iTunes and Amazon via CD Baby. She also produced a music video for the song (directed and edited by Robert Wilson) that is now available on YouTube.

Tatevik launched Drellander Productions in 2012 and is currently looking for funding for her album. She secured a non-exclusive worldwide publishing deal for her songs with the Canadian publisher Jan Cooper Publishing after Jan Cooper represented her at Midem 2012 in Cannes. In the same year she had a performance at the prestigious Mod Club in Toronto organized by Landmark Media. Her song Oasis was promoted with a 2 week radio blast in Canada and US by Avala DSF (currently under Five2Eight umbrella). In February 2013 she was approached and signed with A & R Select to promote her music on radio, in magazines,TV shows, films and commercials in the US. The week of Aug 12, 2013 “Oasis” had spins on CBC Radio. It played on the CBC Radio programs “Mainstreet” (P.E.I.) and “The Bridge” (Windsor, Ontario).

Oasis is the first single from Drellander’s much anticipated debut album. As A & R Select says in their press release: ” Oasis is a metaphor for finding true love. Its message is inspiring, hopeful and creates a deep connection due to its relatable subject matter. This single has an arrangement of that of a movie soundtrack. It incorporates the depth of her skills, the passion of her writing, the beauty of her voice and has a mesmerizing effect on anyone who has the privilege to experience her music.”

In addition to being trained in music and having collaborated with some of the greatest classical voice/piano/composition teachers and performers such as Tamara Goulina (U of T), Eduardo del Campo (McGill, San Francisco Opera), Franco Tenelli (McGill, Metropolitan Opera), Vania Angelova (University of Montreal), Alexandre Solopov (McGill) and Nina Larionova Shishlova (Bolshoi Theatre), Tatevik has also studied science at McGill University and is a graduate of Touro College business school. She now teaches music and voice and her youngest student is 5 years old.

Tatevik is currently working on a few projects. Recently she co-wrote a ballad with producer/sound engineer Sean Michael Paddison called “I love you anyway” that is to be recorded and released this year. Sean has worked on a wide range of projects, including Grammy-winning, JUNO-winning, billboard charting singles and worldwide airplay. He is currently working with Chris Hau. Drellander also plans to record 3 of her original songs: a pop/classical duet “I can see a lifetime (when I look into your eyes)” with renown opera singer Franco Tenelli, a dance hit “Let the rain fall” with Montreal based producer/sound engineer Michael Makhin and another ballad “I’m so in love with you” with Toronto based producer/songwriter/manager/mentor Peter Linseman. Peter has written, produced & released dozens of national & international singles over the past few decades . He is managing the careers of TV Star/country pop artist Kate Todd and dance pop artist Stephanie Braganza. Peter made international history by writing/producing We Will Fly for Laure Shang, a successful single in China. He has also written & produced for Tanvi Shah (India – 2009 Grammy & Oscar Award winner for Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire), international dance pop artist Sarina Paris, international pop & Latin artist Rosita Stone. Peter is a Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAO) founding director, SIPO Foundation founding director and is an Accredited Juror for FACTOR.

Tatevik says: “I believe that my life purpose is to make people smile. Music is the perfect language to communicate emotions and share the love I have for people and life in my heart. Music is universal. It’s the language of feelings and it’s the only language that can break cultural barriers.”

This year Tatevik is participating in CBC Radio’s Searchlight Competition for Canada’s Best New Artist! Voting starts March 31st, 2015. Searchlight Link http://r3.ca/7lpK

Music Video for Oasis at http://www.youtube.com/drellander

Press Release & Demos: http://www.sonicbids.com/drellander Press/ Audio

Press Coverage http://www.drellander.com – Touro Mercury Article

Searchlight Link: http://r3.ca/7lpK

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/drellander

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/drellander

iTunes Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/oasis-single/

Jango Radio: http://www.jango.com/music/Drellander/?l=0

Influences: Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzerald, Nat & King Cole, Diana Krall, Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion, Patricia Kaas, Modern Talking, Pet Shop Boys, Europe, Whitney Houston, Sarah McLahlan, Tori Amos, Mark Anthony, Laima Vaikule, Calibri, Brian Adams, Queen, John Bon Jovi, Belinda Carlisle, Lauren Christy, Leann Rimes, The Pretenders, The Righteous Brothers, Depeshe Mode, Roxette.

Favorite songs: The time of my life; If I could spend my lifetime loving you; Color of the night; Circle in the sand; I will always love you, You’re always on my mind, Yesterday, I’ll stand by you, Black Velvet, Mercy, Someone like you, Power of love.

In addition to being trained in music and having collaborated with some of the greatest classical voice/piano/composition teachers and performers such as Tamara Goulina (U of T), Eduardo del Campo (McGill, San Francisco Opera), Franco Tenelli (McGill, Metropolitan Opera), Vania Angelova (University of Montreal), Alexandre Solopov (McGill) and Nina Larionova Shishlova (Bolshoi Theatre), Tatevik has also studied science at McGill University and is a graduate of Touro College business school. She now teaches piano and voice and her youngest student is 5 years old. She is also trying herself as a life coach by sharing inspirational & educational messages & various self help techniques with her friends.

Influences

Celine Dion
Mariah Carey
Whitney Houston
Adele
Lady Antebellum
Mark Anthony
Regina Belle
Brian Adams
Sarah McLahlan
Leann Rymes

http://music.cbc.ca/#!/artists/Drellander

Tatevik will definitely appreciate your vote.

Thank you!

Blogging Is Something Therapeutic For Me – You Don’t Need To Be An Expert Writer

In this life now, social media, blogging and tweeting are on the rise. A lot of us out there blog, tweet, and are on so many social media websites, and I find blogging to be therapeutic for me. I feel like this is one of the only ways I get to express myself, my feelings and the way I see things in the world. I know and admit that I am not an expert in writing, and I know that I need to fix where punctuation goes and stuff, but I am working on it, but to have a blog, you don’t need to be an expert writer. A blog is a place where people of course express how they feel about a situation, having to share with the world what happens, sharing opinions, suggestions, advice, and among so many things. I feel the need to express myself in my blogs and the only way I know how to sometimes. I like knowing that I blog everyday about everything. I like writing about so many topics, recipes, current events, social, social media, social networking, and among so many things. I am not perfect and I do make mistakes, I’ve done things I haven’t been proud of, but I am sure a lot of us have been through that road and that path at one point or another. I find blogging to be a whole new interface of expressing opinions and ones feelings and I feel great doing it. I just wish everyone understood my point of view. I feel proud of my accomplishments with blogging, I feel good about achieving my goals to strive to make this world a better place, with more happier people and for people to smile, have this incredible positivity and to get people to feel great about themselves. It is very important to me and I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I want the best for everyone. Blogging is something that is very important to me in my life. It is something I feel that I am great at doing.

A Social networking guru and a person who is a social media expert once said to me at a Seminar I attended about Social media, is that everyone should have a blog. It doesn’t matter what it is about, it is very nice to have a blog and to write. He said you do not have to be an expert and professional at writing. It is something that each and everyone of us should do. He said you could write everyday, once a week or couple of times a week, but he said have a blog, and make it whatever you want it to be and go with it. I feel the same way. I will never forget the way I felt when I first started to blog. It was pretty nerve wracking at first and I was pretty nervous to start one because I would be sharing myself with the world, and I do admit I was scared at first, but then after my first week, it wasn’t so bad, and I kept writing and writing. It was something I couldn’t stop and I actually enjoyed my writing, I actually enjoyed interacting with so many people on the internet and sharing point of views. I remember how nervous I was, but then now I am not anymore. It is such a beautiful thing. Even though I am not a perfect writer, but I feel like I get my points across the way I see fit and the way I want to portray my blog and myself. I feel great blogging. I never like to keep things bottled up inside and when I blog it is a totally new twist among everything. I have worked so hard and come this far. Some people ask how I do it everyday and how I commit to blogging everyday with daily life, I answer it simply by saying it is therapeutic for me and I look at it like Its my life and a big part of my life. I have received a lot of opportunities doing this and it feels great. A lot of professors, doctors, priests, and so many other people have come to my blog.

Blogging is an interesting world. When people search for keywords a blog shows up automatically on search engine websites. It depends on how you want to be searched and it depends on how comfortable you are sharing your blog with the world. I mean why not? Its an amazing world and I enjoy blogging. I love it.

What about you? What does blogging mean for you? What has it done for you? How does it impact your life? Would love to hear from you.

All the best in everything.