Boyce member is Harvard grad
PUBLISHED ONOctober 31, 2013 8:00 PMByNoor Ashikin Abdul Rahman
Things could have been very different for Boyce Avenue's Daniel Manzano today if he had stuck to his former career path.
The Harvard law graduate would still have been practising law for some 50 hours a week.
Instead, Manzano and his younger brothers, Alejandro and Fabian, now spend months on end touring and making music with nary a break as members of the popular American alternative rock band.
But between law and music, there is no fight.
"I hope to never go back to practising law," Manzano, 33, told M in a recent phone interview from San Francisco, hours before their sold-out show in the city.
Boyce Avenue will be in town next month for their first full concert here.
Manzano (backing vocals and bass guitar), Fabian, 29, (backing vocals and guitar) and Alejandro, 27, (lead vocals, guitar and piano) came together in 2004, but it was in 2007 that they decided to spread their music via YouTube.
While they wrote and composed original material, the trio also posted covers of hit pop songs like Maroon 5's Payphone, Rihanna's We Found Love and OneRepublic's Apologize.
The videos on their YouTube channel boyceavenue boasts over 4.2 million subscribers and up to 13 million hits.
Most recently, Boyce Avenue earned a nomination for Response of the Year at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards for their cover of Justin Timberlake's hit song Mirrors with US girl group Fifth Harmony.
The category, which honours the best fan remix, parody or response video, also features nominees like Jayesslee, The Piano Guys and Walk Off the Earth.
Asked about their chances of winning, Manzano said: "We're very excited and it's such an honour. We're up against great acts so we'll wait and see."
Boyce Avenue, which released their debut album All We Have Left in 2010, are presently working on a follow-up record.
WHAT
Boyce Avenue Live In Singapore
WHEN
Nov 21, 8pm
WHERE
The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa
TICKETS
$88 from Sistic (www.sistic.com.sg or 6348-5555)
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