Serj Tankian

Serj Tankian is an Armenian-American musician, composer, poet, visual artist, and activist recognized as the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band System of a Down. Tankian studied marketing at California State University and founded a software company before beginning his music career with the formation of System of a Down. The band's rise established Tankian as one of rock's most distinctive voices.

As lead singer and songwriter for System of a Down, Tankian released five studio albums, winning a Grammy Award for "B.Y.O.B." and selling more than 40 million albums worldwide. Four of those albums debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and the band received four Grammy Award nominations. Tankian is known for his unique vocal delivery and wide vocal range, with research indicating a range of 4.2 octaves. His work with System of a Down, including albums "Toxicity," "Mezmerize," and "Hypnotize," established his influence in early 2000s rock and heavy metal.

Following the band's hiatus, Tankian launched a solo career that spans multiple genres. His first solo album, "Elect the Dead," peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and included the single "Empty Walls." Subsequent solo projects include "Imperfect Harmonies," "Harakiri," "Orca Symphony No. 1," and "Jazz-Iz Christ." Tankian also released the rock EP "Elasticity," "Cool Gardens Poetry Suite," and the two-part instrumental collection "Cinematique Series: Illuminate" and "Cinematique Series: Violent Violins." The album "Covers, Collaborations & Collages" features archival recordings and collaborations with artists such as Deadmau5, Bic Runga, and Lucas Vidal.

Tankian has composed music for film and television, including the full score for the documentary "I Am Not Alone" and the Live Nation Productions film "Truth to Power." He also composed for the Emmy-nominated "Intent to Destroy," the Russian action film "Furious — The Legend of Kolovrat," and the film "Spitak." Tankian performed "The Rains of Castamere" for the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience, with his rendition included on the soundtrack for the eighth season of the series. In addition to music, Tankian has created more than 80 paintings, beginning with his "Disarming Time Musical Paintings" series, which has been exhibited in the United States and New Zealand.

Throughout his career, Tankian has been active in social justice and human rights advocacy. He co-founded the nonprofit organization Axis of Justice with Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, aiming to unite musicians, fans, and grassroots organizations for social change. Tankian has used his platform to raise awareness about the Armenian Genocide and was awarded a Commemorative Medal by the Prime Minister of Armenia for his contributions to genocide recognition and music. Tankian's memoir, "Down With the System," explores his experiences as an immigrant, activist, and artist.