Serj Tankian - Musician
Age: 58
Country: United States Occupations:
Musician
Serj Tankian is an Armenian-American musician, singer, poet, songwriter, visual artist, film producer, activist, and composer.
🎤 Key Roles and Background
He is best known as the lead vocalist and songwriter for the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band, System of a Down, which he co-founded in 1994.
Tankian was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and later re-rooted in Los Angeles, California. His Armenian heritage significantly shapes his life and work.
He is known for his diverse and gritty vocal range and his distinctive musical style, which blends elements of alternative metal, hard rock, jazz, classical music, and Armenian folk music.
🎶 Solo Career and Other Projects
Beyond System of a Down, Tankian has released multiple solo albums, beginning with his 2007 debut, Elect the Dead.
He also composes musical scores for films and video games, and has released instrumental works and symphonies, such as Orca Symphony No. 1.
In 2001, he founded his own record label, Serjical Strike Records, with a mission to promote diverse musical acts.
✊ Activism and Art
Tankian is a passionate and outspoken political and social activist, with his lyrics and public platform often addressing issues such as human rights, social justice, genocide recognition (particularly the Armenian Genocide), and environmentalism.
In 2002, he co-founded the non-profit organization Axis of Justice with fellow musician Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), which works to unite musicians, fans, and grassroots organizations to fight for social justice.
He is also a visual artist, having exhibited his abstract paintings since 2013, with some of his works, known as "Disarming Time Musical Paintings," being paired with an original musical score accessible via a mobile app. He is also an accomplished poet who has published books of his work.