Sakis Gouzonis is a multi-award winning electronic music composer from Greece. So far, the artist has released nine instrumental albums and has gained an impressive number of fans and friends all over the globe, without any assistance from record labels or marketing companies. 1 In Music met with one of the most unique success story stemming from Greece as he introduces his newest album, Liberating Truth, an album that has been described by some reviewers as a “futuristic tour de force”.
1inmusic: What is unique about you and your music?
Sakis Gouzonis (SG): … First of all, I would like to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I create instrumental electronic music, which is based on the idea of taking the listener on a journey full of emotions. My music, which has earned me 10 international awards and distinctions, is written and performed with a lot of passion and positive energy. Most people are not indifferent when listening to something with a lot of heart and soul. So far, more than 660,000 people have become fans of my music. People from around 100 countries visit my official website every month to stream and download my discography that counts 9 studio albums. What is also noteworthy is that it has all been done independently, with no record labels or marketing companies supporting me.
1inMusic: What shaped your music and who supports you?
SG: The music from the 80’s and 90’s had and still has a major influence on me. I have also been influenced by some really great composers, such as Vangelis, Yanni, Jean Michel Jarre, John Williams, James Horner, Alan Silvestri and Danny Elfman. When I first listened to the music of the aforementioned composers, my life took a whole new direction. Support comes in many shapes and forms. My parents and my brothers, as well as my friends and my fans from all over the globe, support me and encourage me in every way that they can.
1inmusic: When did you realize you were going to make music professionally?
SG: Kids and teenagers are usually attracted by seeing famous artists exercising their gift. But that was not the case with me. Nobody in my family was an artist, and I had never been to a concert before. Then, one day, I found a few old cassettes at my parents’ home with some Christian music on them. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with all the amazing melodies and orchestrations. When I was about twelve years old, I asked my parents to buy me an electronic keyboard. When I touched my first electronic keyboard for the very first time, I felt a very strange power all over my body. I instantly understood that music was my gift and what I was meant to do.
1inmusic: What type of music do you listen to?
SG: In my free time I usually listen to electronic music with vocals. But when I work on my computer, I listen to instrumental electronic music only, because vocals distract my brain’s processing centers too much.
1inmusic: Who, to you, is the most undervalued music artist?
SG: There are so many underrated music artists waiting to be discovered and create an impact in the international music scene that it wouldn’t be fair to mention just one. I hope one day they will get the recognition they deserve.
1inmusic: How do you prepare for your performances?
SG: To prepare for my performances, I do have a routine I like to follow. I warm my fingers and I drink plenty of water. It’s also important for me to check my instruments to make sure that if something goes wrong, it’s not something I could have fixed beforehand.
1inmusic: What ignites your (song) writing flow?
SG: The grandeur, the beauty, the diversity and the mysteries of the universe are what inspire me to keep writing music. Magnificent in the starry sky, in the waves of the sea, in the colors of the flowers and the singing of the birds, the universe inspires me a lot, creating in my heart feelings of love, peace, harmony, joy and respect.
1inmusic: What do you do when you don’t do music (creative or otherwise) and that you are passionate about?
SG: I teach English as a foreign language in Greece. As an English teacher, I have always loved the power of words. Great speeches, poems, lyrics, novels and short stories have touched and moved many people throughout human history. People frame words, and words in turn impact people. This relationship has always been of interest to me.
1inmusic: Success to you is…
SG: … meeting the expectations that you have set for yourself.
1inmusic: What do you wish you were told when you started out and that you think would help anyone who starts out?
SG: The line to the place you want to get to is never straight. It strays among different avenues. Imagine an eight-lane highway eventually going to the same tunnel. Eventually, you get to that place you want to get to, but getting there requires a lot of lane changes.
1inmusic: Any upcoming projects?
SG: My 9th studio album, Liberating Truth, was released last month, so I am in the process of promoting it both online and offline.
1inmusic: Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions and best wishes with your new release. Where do we find that album and all of the rest of your music?
SG: You can visit my official website, below. It includes detailed biography, complete discography, a gallery of album covers, a frequently updated electronic press kit, press releases, questions and answers, album reviews, articles, interviews, news, contact details and links.