On Music Day, Rodolphe Manoukian redefines the Derbake on global stages

As a child, Rodolphe closed his eyes and imagined the crowd. Today, his eyes are wide open as he performs before a sea of people. As a boy, he used to put a Majida El Roumi CD in an old stereo, and he still recalls the song very well: “Kon Sadiki”. He closed his eyes, played Derbake to it, and saw the crowd. Rodolphe relived the same feeling this year as 45,000 people gathered to watch him in concert in India.

Rodolphe Manoukian, the Derbake phenomenon who has amassed 1.8 million followers on Instagram with his distinctive performance style, is now touring the world. In the past three years, he gained traction on social media, and people in the music industry have emulated his content. Before Rodolphe came on the scene, the Derbake was confined to traditional settings rather than serving as the centerpiece of a performance. His style of standing on tables at parties, pounding to Afro House music with an almost theatrical elegance, was something audiences had not seen before. “I discovered that my clothes, the interaction with people while staying put and poised as I play, this persona I’ve created sparked a vibe”, says Rodolphe.

A decade on the stage

In his words, music is a difficult industry, either placing you above ground or burying you under it. Prior to committing fully to music, he considered several other paths, from working in fast food to becoming a football trainer like his father. However, something was amiss.

He’s been doing his show since 2016, but he never gave up because he loved it. That year, Ghassan Yammine reached out to him on Facebook. Rodolphe auditioned for a jury committee coming from the Aix-en-Provence Festival. They selected him and eleven others from separate countries, from Italy to Tunisia to participate in the inter-cultural creation session. With a fondness for instrumental art, he spent time teaching Derbake at Ghassan Yammine’s academy.

For a long time, Rodolphe wasn’t satisfied playing behind a singer. He’s worked with Ramy Ayach, Pavo and Marwan Khoury to name a few. When they asked the band to wear white, Rodolphe showed up wearing black. His entire life he felt something was going to blow up inside. “I was 27 when I decided to go all in on my dreams and I did it”, says Rodolphe.

Four years ago, he had 400,000 LBP in his pocket, equivalent to around 13 dollars at the time. He borrowed money to set up a studio in his home where he shot his popular videos. One of them went viral after less than a year. Then Bar du Port reached out to him, and he made an investment by hiring a videographer and mixing his own tracks. A video there went viral as well and his method of performing suddenly became a trend.

International tours followed, traveling the world from Australia, Canada, to Europe. He recently returned from two months in India where he is a superstar. “I can’t go to the mall on my own. In a year and a half, my whole life changed, that is the power of social media”, admits Rodolphe.

More than meets the eye

Though he loves his craft, it is taxing on his health. “The hotel check-ins, getting on and off planes that people strive for, I’m sick of them”. In the latest India tour, he performed in forty-three parties in two months and lost thirteen kilos. He neither ate well nor slept properly, finishing one party to fly off to another city.

Success in music, he believes, comes from mastering many different disciplines. Rodolphe is into fashion, wearing custom kimonos for each show designed by Sako, Saki.kimono on Instagram.  When they began collaborating a year ago, Sako’s account had just 300 followers. Today it exceeds 30,000. Acting is something he wants to explore as well, playing music in a theatrical way so that people connect with him.

Another secret to the artist’s success and his massive appeal is his limitless love for music and his father who always supported him. Being a musician, he bought him his first Derbake at nine years old and enrolled him in the conservatory. Rodolphe used to play on the Nido can and the plastic water container. When he had a school trip, he told his father he wanted to play for his friends, so he bought him the instrument and Rodolphe brought the party to that bus. “I’m a firm believer. Everything I do I thank God for, every party I finish, every tour”, shares Rodolphe.

What’s more, the musician shies away from stress, even if it’s something that would potentially advance his career. He left after five years in the conservatory because they didn’t let him complete two years in one, as originally agreed upon with administration.

Becoming a coveted Derbake entertainment specialist was a road laden with hurdles. In school, the one question his teacher asked of him was: “When you propose to a lady you will play the Derbake for her father?”. His relatives told him: “Forget about music, it doesn’t earn you a decent living”. These comments got to him.

Later on, he realized that there are a lot of Derbake artists on the music scene, so he was advised to try something else like Cello. “In Lebanon, it’s very competitive and no one helps anyone out”. Factoring these challenges in, Rodolphe set his sights firmly on proving the naysayers wrong.

Enchanting tunes

Around the time he picked up a Derbake, Rodolphe started learning magic. Watching Chris Angel on YouTube got him addicted to it. These days he’s advancing his show by incorporating magic tricks. An introvert, it was his only way to meet people.

Holding a technical degree in IT and having studied Musicology in USEK, if he was given the choice between performing full-time or having a high position in IT, he would choose music all over again. Nowadays, he is creating his original music using a hand pan with a track named after his father Arka, meaning King of Kings in Armenian. The track reveals that he was a musician, played the accordion, and stopped due to the war.

Next on the horizon for the rising musician is performing in the United States. “It was my ambition all along since it’s on the other side of the world”. What’s more, it’s difficult to get his visa on a Lebanese passport. “I discovered that anything that brings me a challenge I like to pursue. Everything I’ve always wanted I’m living now. I will keep evolving and will not let it slip through my fingers”.