Singer/Songwriter/Producer
Genre: RnB/Pop/Soul
As of lately, most RnB songs tend to be more about the beat than the voice. If you feared that RnB was dying off, you may rest assured because there is still hope and his name is Manny X. This young and talented individual has so much soul that once you start listening to his songs you get lost in his harmonic voice. He not only sings, but he writes and produces his own music. You can call him the one man band. This is someone to look out for because he is motivated to achieve greatness and he is on the right path...
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| From E-Major to Manny X |
When i asked Manny what the meaning behind his artist name was, he had an elaborate response that I could not just paraphrase it, so i'm going to let you guys read exactly what he wrote:
[Manny X]: "Me growing up without a father was a bit more than I could handle during my younger years. I was bitter, rebellious, stubborn and hurt because I could not experience that bond between father and son. One day, during the early stages of my musical development, I wondered…..what can i call myself?? I thought of various names……and for a while I stuck with one….that one was “E-Major”….I thought E-Major would be a perfect fit. My first name starts with an E, i play piano, E-Major is one of the scales I sing most comfortably in and so I stuck with it. But it still felt empty to me. So I started writing my name out to see how it looked on paper. I tried numerous times because I reaaaalllly wanted something that was a lot more personal. During one of those i started noticing a pattern I was doing. I often crossed off the Last name because i didn’t want anyone to know it. My nickname has always been Manny…but Manny just wasn’t enough. And for a moment in time, the planets aligned, the sky opened up and it all made sense….Manny X!"
The FIRST NAME has traditionally been used throughout time to identify people, it’s the LAST NAME that gives that individual his/her distinct value. The LAST NAME represents you heritage, your ancestry, your inheritance and even your legacy. It bothered me to have to carry around and be the legacy of a man that was never a part of my life. I felt it was unfair to me to be branded with an heritage that had no value to me. and thus, the ‘X’ represents me DISCLAIMING the heritage and legacy tied to that last name. It may seem bitter but it goes deeper and with that depth, a more profound meaning will be attained. Allow me to elaborate a little bit more. As an aspiring mathematics teacher, I’ve learn that the most common alphanumerical device used to represent a variable is ‘X’. (A variable, though it may contain several definitions based on context, is also known as ‘something whose value may be dictated or discovered’.) So in a nutshell, the ‘X’ ultimately represent me DISCLAIMING what is tied into my last name with the hopes of discovering and defining myself so that I can give new meaning, create a new heritage and leave behind a new legacy of WHO I AM! Put it this way, The variable (my self, ‘X’) is placed into an equation (life) and that equation is manipulated with various techniques (MUSIC, love, family, friends, etc.) until it can be thoroughly defined (self-realization). Once that variable is defined, then it renders itself USEFUL and MEANINGFUL.
Manny X is currently unsigned, but he does have his own production team that goes by the name of:
"Keeping your ears healthy with good music"
Manny X just recently put out a "EP" (extended play) which is a sampler for his upcoming album that will be released later on this year.
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| To listen to it visit www.MannyX.Bandcamp.com |
Other works:
"Just Me" - May, 2008. This was the culmination of my first project and the beginning of it all. The title track, Just Me, talks about what this album and, in general, what my music means to me.
"Planet X" - Sept., 2009. This was intended to be a mixtape that slowly turned into something more. It's the mixtape/album that has taken my art to a whole new level with the song "Forever Yours". Forever Yours is a song that i created that blew up beyond anything i imagined, in fact, it's the driving force behind the exposure my music has gotten.
"Before H.E.R." - Feb., 2011. This is a mixtape i released earlier this year. Its really a collection of original songs and remixes that are tied into the experiences i had in the year prior to releasing my upcoming project "Songs About H.E.R." It has remixes to some of the biggest hits from last year and in it i made sure to include some originals that did not make the cut for the album.
"A Song About H.E.R. (EP)" - April, 2011. This is an EP of the Album i'll be releasing this later year. It has 6 songs that i feel were great for capturing the essence of what is to come.
COMING SOON:
"Songs About H.E.R." - TBA.
Here's some good music for those ears:
(my favorite) "You Can Always Come Back"
"How do i tell H.E.R No"
"Forever Yours"
For more Manny X music you can visit:
[LL] What was your first experience with music and what made you realize you had the talent?
[MX] For some odd reason i've always been surrounded by music. From what my mother tells me, i used to sing and dance when i was just 4 and 5 yrs old. Of course, these are events that i just cant recollect. However, my first personal experience occurred when i was about 8 or 9 years old. For Christmas I got my first keyboard, it was a Casio. During the early stages i just played a ton of the demos in the piano and i would try to mimic what i heard but i got bored with it quickly. One day, after a church service, i went home and i could not get this song they sang at church out of my head. The melody was so peaceful and beautiful...so i went straight to the piano and fiddled with notes and after an hr or so i somehow managed to play the melody. I was alone in that room, I didn't understand what just happened but i can still remember the feeling of knowing i just played my first song. Later on i learned that i was endowed with a "musical ear." As the years passed that ear developed more and more as i delved deeper into music. [LL] What made you want to purse a career in music?
[MX] The motivation to pursue a career in music occurred much later in my life. It wasn't until i released my first project, "Just Me", that I was inspired to do so. You see, i had equipment at my house for production, i had tons of lyrics from years worth of thoughts and feelings i wrote and i had all the time in the world to do it. When i set the goal to make the album, it was a personal thing. i just wanted to put my talent to use and have something tangible to prove it. When i released it, it was the completion of my years worth of blood, sweat, tears and sleep i sacrificed to make it happen. and when i realized someone actually purchased a song........i was overcome with emotion. I never suspected anyone to enjoy what i created let alone be inspired by it. From that moment on, i realized i wanted to experience that over and over again. A 'career' in music, to me, simply means still being able to create art that's relevant enough to influence/inspire people.
[LL] You seem to be drawn to RnB, why is that?
[MX] Well, during a trip to
[LL] Do you write your own music? What are they usually about? What's the process in writing?
[MX] Yes i write do the lyrics to my songs. The themes they are based on tend to vary. Lately, because of the direction i wanna take the album i'm working on, (Songs About H.E.R.), i've been really analytical about my emotions and experiences in relationships. But I've slowly started to detach from that aspect and am beginning to explore different concepts. The process is strange, really. It either just happens right away or it builds up. Sometimes i make a beat and write to it other times i have melodies that i build the instrumental around. sometimes, they just happen together naturally. writing a song can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of months. I try to begin with conceptualizing what I'm writing about. Different scenarios, what i've gone through, how would i think, how would other people think, what would men/women do, what am i trying to tell people, how poetic can i be, if i should go deep and how deep i should go.......and when i'm done conceptualizing, i just vibe to the music...this can take a few days to vibe to, a few months or just a few minutes...i think melodies melodies melodies and from there, it begins.
[LL] Do you produce? Play any instruments? Which one(s)?
[MX] Yes i produce my own music (for the most part). I've been playing piano since the age of 10. It is my first passion and its the means by which i produce the majority of my music. I like making original compositions. There's a certain feeling of knowing that these songs came from your imagination and are being appreciated by someone, as opposed to a song that was sampled and flipped. Although, i loooooove the art of sampling, in fact i've been producing for some artists and i've been incorporating more of that aspect of production into my work. Aside from piano, i can play drums, i'm learning guitar, i can dominate an mpc, and i'm a vocalist.
[LL] As an indie artist, how do you define success?
[MX] As an indie artist, success is an object/goal blurred only by distance. Sometimes, i sit at home, see how far my music has gone and wonder, why am i not out there? Other times i sit at home, see how far my music has gone and think to myself, man, i cant believe i made that happen. In the end, i think the measure of success is internal and not as tangible as others may view it. I've set goals for myself. Goals that for many others, takes years and years and years to do....some of which never actually accomplish them. I've been able to sit home, imagine something, create it, present it and have it be receive with high acclaim. I believe i am successful but i don't think I've reached the levels of success that i know i can attain. I am at a place where i can make the music i like, the music i feel is right, music that comes from within. The fact that people outside my home, outside my state, and even outside my country are listening, dancing, singing, connecting, reacting, inspired and sharing this material defines success to me. I've made it to another land without having to travel. I've made it to the ears of people who sleep while I'm awake. And I've done this all with no funds just passion and time. Success and my goals are tied together and so far, "Every goal i've aimed for, i've Beckham'd it."
[LL] What advice would you give someone that wants to pursue a musical career? What should they expect?
[MX] Well, truthfully, i can only give advice from personal experience. One thing that is CRUCIAL is.....BELIEF IN ONE'S SELF. Long before i had followers/fans/supporters or anything, i had myself. I learned that i have to be able to love my art, define my art and understand the direction i'm taking it in before i can expect others to.
It really boils down to four things:
(1) Belief
(2) Hard Work
(3) Dedication
(4) Courage
It's the passion and patience for what we do that drives us to accomplish these things.
What to expect? Expect doubt, expect haters, expect failure, expect counter-productivity. It's the natural reaction of people and things when you aspire to transcend your life through a dream. But also.......as long as you can keep those four elements in check, you can expect growth, you can expect a shift in your mind as well as a shift in the attitudes of the people that are on the receiving end. you can expect the comfort of being true to yourself, you can expect the success of your hard work, you can expect opportunities for more.
For more MANNY X:
www.Facebook.com/MannyXMusic
www.Twitter.com/MannyX
www.Myspace.com/MannyX401
www.MannyX.Bandcamp.com
www.YouTube.com/MannyXTV
www.MannyXWorld.com
For show bookings contact him at:
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