“To be a good musician, one needs to do everything from the bottom of the heart”: Marine Manasyan
17.02.2021
Musician and composer Marine Manasyan was 9 years old when her family moved to Russia. She spent subsequent years either in Yerevan or in Moscow. The final decision to settle abroad was made when Marine was already 15 years old. Now she looks back with the warmest memories of the Yerevan spring and her beloved Abovyan street.
“At the age of 15, when I was brought to Moscow, it was difficult because I did not want to move. I always compare my relationship with Armenia to people with a broken heart, when you love someone but you cannot be with him. I've always felt this way”.
Marine has been interested in music since childhood, she began writing songs during her school years, and later began playing the guitar and piano.
“I was 14 when I decided to start writing songs; I loved music since childhood: when my brother went to play the piano, I listened, imitated and also wanted to play but the constant moving from Yerevan to Moscow and back prevented me from entering a music school”.
It was music that introduced Marine to other music lovers, and they decided to found the group Villette, which was later renamed Deep Image. Now Marine Manasyan performs alone in Moscow clubs. The next concert will take place on March 25th.
“I think that in order to be a good musician, one needs to do everything from the bottom of the heart, and at the same time have an idea of why they do it. There is freedom in music. Playing or listening to music makes the soul soar and be free. When one starts writing music, they must understand what they want to tell people”.
Marine claims that any art has divine power that illuminates the world and the people. If people feel it, then you did your job well. The musician writes in three languages: Russian, English and mostly Armenian. She has about 45 songs released on several albums where she also performs works by Charents, Sevak and Sayat-Nova.
“For me, the Armenian language is like a divine language: when I listen to it, it seems to me that the gods speak. In general, as a rule, music determines the language of the song. There is music to which it is better to write in English, or, for example, in Armenian”.
Marine often visits Armenia, visits her favorite places, gives concerts. She has big plans: she is going to release a new album based on the poems of Charents.