Sebu Simonian

{{Short description|Armenian-American singer-songwriter and producer}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name =

| image = File:Sebu Simonian at TRX NYE 2024.jpg

| caption = Simonian in 2024

| image_size =

| birth_name = Sebu Simonian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|10|15}}

| birth_place = Aleppo, Syria

| death_date = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}

| origin = Los Angeles{{cite magazine|last=Baltin|first=Steve|title=Made in America L.A.: Imagine Dragons, Kendrick Lamar, Afrojack Rock Day 1|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6236524/made-in-america-downtown-los-angeles-imagine-dragons-kendrick-lamar-afrojack-rock-day-1|access-date=4 December 2014|magazine=Billboard|date=31 August 2014|quote=...L.A. resident Sebu Simonian of Capital Cities...}}

| genre =

| instrument = {{hlist|Keyboards|vocals}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Musician|singer|songwriter|record producer}}

| years_active =

| label = Capitol

| associated_acts = Capital Cities, Sirusho

| website =

}}

Sebu Simonian (born October 15, 1978;{{cite news|title=Sebu Simonian profile on Facebook|url=https://www.facebook.com/Sebu/info}} {{langx|hy|Սեպուհ Սիմոնեան}}){{cite news|script-title=hy:Սեպուհ Սիմոնեան Պիտի Մասնակցի Հայ Դատի "Ֆիլմ Եւ Արուեստներ" Խորհրդակցութեանց|url=http://asbarez.com/arm/175473/|access-date=28 August 2014|work=Asbarez|date=21 October 2013|language=hy}} is an Armenian-American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer,{{cite web|last=Cozette|first=Maria|title=Music Box with Maria Cozette- Guest, Sebu Simonian (Capital Cities)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abRMk0oGicQ|website=SoulfulPop|publisher=Horizon Television|access-date=28 August 2014|date=16 June 2014|quote=Sebu Simonian of the Grammy nominated duo, Capital Cities, is a Singer/ Songwriter/ Producer...}} one-half of the Los Angeles-based indie pop duo Capital Cities.

Early life

Simonian was born in 1978 in Aleppo, Syria to Armenian parents from Lebanon,{{cite news|last1=Corona|first1=Angelica|title=Interview with Sebu Simonian of Capital Cities|url=http://lamusicblog.com/2013/05/interview/interview-with-sebu-simonian-of-capital-cities/|access-date=28 August 2014|work=LA Music Blog|date=31 May 2013}}{{Cite web |last=Lopez |first=Korina |title=On the Verge: Meet dance-pop duo Capital Cities |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/06/22/on-the-verge-meet-dance-pop-duo-capital-cities/2440921/ |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} whose ancestors were survivors of the Armenian genocide. His paternal grandfather was from the region of Cilicia (in present-day Turkey's Çukurova region).{{cite news|last1=Trvants|first1=Anush|title=Սեպուհ Սիմոնյան. Ուզում եմ լինել աշխարհի քաղաքացի, բայց առանց հայությունից ազատագրվելու|url=http://168.am/2014/08/28/400525.html|access-date=4 December 2014|work=168.am|date=28 August 2014|language=hy}} Simonian's parents were from Beirut, Lebanon, but "because of a civil war [his] mum had to flee and [he] happened to be born in Syria."{{cite news|last1=Phillips|first1=Noel|title=Interview with Sebu Simonian: The singer and producer of Capital Cities, on their new album 'In a Tidal Wave Of Mystery'|url=http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2013/09/25/interview-with-sebu-simonian-the-singer-and-producer-of-capital-cities-on-their-new-album-%E2%80%98in-a-tidal-wave-of-mystery%E2%80%99/|access-date=28 August 2014|work=The Independent|date=24 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903101227/http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2013/09/25/interview-with-sebu-simonian-the-singer-and-producer-of-capital-cities-on-their-new-album-%E2%80%98in-a-tidal-wave-of-mystery%E2%80%99/|archive-date=3 September 2014|url-status=dead}} Soon after his birth his family returned to Lebanon where they stayed until 1985 and moved to the United States due to the civil war there.

Simonian grew up in Los Angeles County.{{cite news|last1=Sadeghi|first1=Shirin|title=Capital Cities' Feel Good Hit of the Summer|url=http://www.rollingstoneme.com/music/capital-cities-feel-good-hit-of-the-summer|access-date=28 August 2014|work=Rolling Stone Middle East|date=17 July 2013|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304071311/http://www.rollingstoneme.com/music/capital-cities-feel-good-hit-of-the-summer|url-status=dead}} His family is involved in the Armenian community,{{cite news|last=Chaderjian|first=Paul|title=Sebu Simonian: From AYF Camp to the Top of the Music Charts with Capital Cities|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3uwWHyjX_U|access-date=28 August 2014|work=CivilNet|date=9 November 2013}} while Simonian himself was an editorial assistant at the English Section of the Armenian daily Asbarez in the late 1990s.{{cite news|title=Capital Cities' Sebu Simonian to be Panelist at ANCA Grassroots|url=http://asbarez.com/115190/capital-cities-sebu-simonian-to-be-panelist-at-anca-grassroots/|access-date=28 August 2014|work=Asbarez|date=18 October 2013}} He graduated from Glendale High School.{{cite web|title=Subu Simonian Interview with "Armenians of the World" program|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY3yLIQJWAQ|publisher=Shant TV|language=hy|date=2 November 2014}}{{cite web|title=Capital Cities' Sebu Simonian: In a Tidal Wave of Mystery|url=http://www.kenphillipsgroup.com/capsg1013.htm|website=kenphillipsgroup.com|publisher=Ken Phillips Publicity Group|access-date=4 December 2014|date=18 October 2013|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062137/http://www.kenphillipsgroup.com/capsg1013.htm|url-status=dead}} He is an alumnus of the California State University, Northridge, where he studied music.

Music career

Simonian started his first band when he was 15.{{cite news|last1=Lopez|first1=Korina|title=On the Verge: Meet dance-pop duo Capital Cities|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/06/22/on-the-verge-meet-dance-pop-duo-capital-cities/2440921/|access-date=28 August 2014|work=USA Today|date=22 June 2013}} In 2004,{{cite web|title=Aviatic - Biography|url=http://artists.letssingit.com/aviatic-tv8b7/biography|website=LetsSingIt|access-date=28 August 2014|date=16 January 2007}} Simonian (as lead singer and keyboardist) and Ryan Welker, guitarist and backing vocals, formed the rock{{cite news|title=Big, big rock|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/01/05/big-big-rock/|access-date=28 August 2014|work=Chicago Tribune|date=5 January 2006}} band Aviatic.{{cite journal|last1=Mancina|first1=Kristin|title=Rockers Aviatic draw large fan base to the Roxy|journal=The Daily Sundial|date=20 September 2005|url=http://sundial.csun.edu/2005/09/rockersaviaticdrawlargefanbasetotheroxy/|access-date=28 August 2014|publisher=California State University, Northridge}}

Simonian met Ryan Merchant in 2008 through Craigslist while searching for a job as a music producer.{{cite news|last1=Ragogna|first1=Mike|title=Talking With Capital Cities' Sebu Simonian, a Chat with Michael Maguire, The Who's Tommy Revisited, and the Teacarina|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ragogna/talking-with-capital-citi_b_4964892.html|access-date=3 December 2014|work=The Huffington Post|date=14 March 2014}} Initially, they worked as jingle writers and wrote songs for other bands.{{cite news|last1=Imbong|first1=Peter|title=Capital Cities: Unabashedly Cheery|url=http://www.rappler.com/entertainment/music/47747-capital-cities-unabashedly-cheery|access-date=3 December 2014|agency=Rappler|date=11 January 2014}} They formed the indie pop duo Capital Cities in 2010. Simonian was featured on Brian Wilson's 2015 album No Pier Pressure, performing and producing the track "Runaway Dancer".{{cite news|last1=Pareles|first1=John|title=Review: Brian Wilson's Nostalgic, Reflective 'No Pier Pressure'|work=New York Times|date=6 April 2015|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/07/arts/music/review-brian-wilsons-nostalgic-reflective-no-pier-pressure.html}} In 2017, Simonian was featured on Armenian singer Sirusho's single "Vuy Aman".{{cite web|title=Տեսահոլովակի պրեմիերա. Սիրուշո և Սեբու' "Վույ աման"|work=Panorama.am|date=July 5, 2017|url=http://life.panorama.am/hy/news/2017/07/05/sirusho-sebu/631604|access-date=July 6, 2017}}

Personal life

Simonian is married and has two sons.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}}

Simonian wears a long beard, which has gained significant media attention.{{cite news|last1=Spence-Jones|first1=George A|title=AMS Album of the Week: In a Tidal Wave of Mystery|url=http://felixonline.co.uk/music/3904/ams-album-of-the-week-in-a-tidal-wave-of-mystery/|work=Felix|date=18 October 2013|quote=...Sebu Simonian (a fabulous name only rivalled by his cracking beard)...}}{{cite news|last1=Subijano|first1=Cai|title=Capital Cities: How to compose the sweet sound of success|url=http://www.philstar.com/young-star/2014/01/17/1279558/capital-cities-how-compose-sweet-sound-success|access-date=4 December 2014|work=The Philippine Star|date=17 January 2014|quote=...Sebu’s impressive facial hair...}} Rolling Stone magazine named his beard the best at the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and described it as "luxuriant [and] Rasputin-like" and rabbi-like.{{cite magazine|title=50 Best Things We Saw at Coachella 2014: Best Beard: Capital Cities|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/50-best-things-we-saw-at-coachella-2014-20140414/best-beard-capital-cities-0588247|access-date=3 December 2014|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=14 April 2014}} When asked why he doesn't shave, he responded "I'm just lazy" and added that he sees himself as "a little bit of" a hipster.