Mikhail Tarasov (Russian: Михаи́л Тара́сов), better known by his stage name Svoy (which can be loosely translated as "self-contained"), is an American producer/writer/artist for Universal Music Group[3] in the genre of pop/electronica. He has seven self-produced albums and other records released via Mack Avenue Records/Sony Music Entertainment[4] formerly known as Rendezvous Entertainment belonging to multi Grammy-nominated RIAA Gold-certified musician/media mogul Dave Koz and legendary radio chief executive/record producer Frank Cody, P-Vine Records/Blues Interactions,[5] and Thistime Records.[6] In 2024, he released a duo album in collaboration with Grammy-winning artist Kenny Garrett, entitled Who Killed AI?, on Mack Avenue Records.[7]

Svoy
Background information
Birth nameMikhail Tarasov
Also known asMisha Tarasov; Svoy
Born (1980-03-18) 18 March 1980 (age 44)
OriginVladivostok, Russian Federation
GenresElectronica[1]
EDM
Alternative
Pop
Indie
Rock
Ambient
Experimental
Jazz[2]
Occupation(s)Music producer
singer
songwriter
poet
keyboardist
pianist
visual artist
Instrument(s)Vocals
piano
electronic keyboard
digital audio workstation
Years active2005–present
LabelsUniversal Music Group
Songs of Universal
Rendezvous Entertainment
Mack Avenue Records
P-Vine Records
Thistime Records
Websitesvoy.com

Career

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In 2004, Svoy won the BMI John Lennon Award for songwriters and received the award from Yoko Ono.[8]

 
Svoy & Yoko Ono at BMI, NYC

In 2002, he won BMI Pete Carpenter Fellowship for film composers, that led to studying with multi Grammy and Emmy-winning composer Mike Post and Atli Orvarsson for one month at Post's studio in Los Angeles.[9]

 
David LaChance, Mike Post, BMI's Linda Livingston & Svoy

It was the Sony Music Publishing executive, Eric Beall, who oversaw Svoy’s career at the beginning. In 2005, when Svoy came to Beall’s office at the Sony Tower in New York City to play a self-recorded demo, Beall told him to send it not only to publishing companies as a songwriter/producer, but also to labels as an artist: “This is a finished record quality”, Beall stated. Svoy followed the advice and within a year got the recording and the publishing contract, all negotiated by New York attorney George Gilbert, also recommended by Beall. Frank Cody and Dave Koz felt the same way when heard the album – they made a decision to release it on Rendezvous/Universal “as is”. To this day, all of Svoy’s records are entirely self-produced.

In 2009, his single "Beautiful Thing" reached No. 69 on the Billboard Japan Hot TOP 100 Airplay and No. 82 on Billboard Japan Hot 100 Singles[10] chart. Besides remaining in top 40 and 100 airplay charts of numerous major Japanese radio networks for over 8 weeks, the song peaked at No. 3 on Alpha Station FM Kyoto 89.4's TOP 40 Overseas Chart.[11] Also in 2009, Svoy's album Automatons reached No. 100 on the Billboard Japan Top Independent Albums and Singles chart.

In 2011, Automatons and its title track were nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album and Best Dance/Electronica Song at The 10th Independent Music Awards,[12] and won in the latter category.[13] He won the 10th IMA's Vox Populi in both categories.[14] 10th Independent Music Awards judging panel included Seal, Fall Out Boy, Portishead, McCoy Tyner, Counting Crows, Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Suzanne Vega, Jesse Harris, Tom Waits, Aimee Mann, Jonatha Brooke among other artists and music industry professionals.[15]

 
Svoy, Donald Brown, Kenny Garrett & Vernell Brown, Jr. at Sear Sound, NYC

In late 2012, Svoy collaborated on an electronic production/arrangement of a song with Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello and The Roots' bassist Mark Kelley for an upcoming album of jazz artist Claudia Acuna. In 2013, Svoy co-wrote a string arrangement with Kenny Garrett and made a vocalist appearance on Garrett’s multi Grammy-nominated albums, Pushing the World Away (2013) and Seeds from the Underground (2012), respectively. Song "I'm Breaking", written by Eurovision Music Awards-winning songwriter Demir Demirkan and Svoy, was released as part of Demirkan's 2019 album Elysium on Ashes.

In 2015, aside from continuing to release regular studio albums, Svoy began work on ongoing experimental vocal electronic Symphony series and by 2019 has released five such pieces containing ten movements each.[16][17]

Over the course of his career, Svoy has collaborated with Grammy-winning artists Kenny Garrett, Meshell Ndegeocello, Lenny White, Manuel Seal and Demir Demirkan, Claudia Acuna, Adam Levy, among other artists. Svoy is a voting member for The Recording Academy, a Yamaha Digital Artist,[18] a Berklee College of Music and Gnessin Russian Academy of Music scholarship recipient/graduate.

 
CBGB, NYC, 04.22.06

New York music critics Jack Rabid of The Big Takeover Magazine and Jesse Seilhan of TheCelebrityCafe.com describe Svoy as a "...Robot-driven repetitive-trance big-dance-rhythm cold synth-pop modern-chart soul futuristic electro-disco techno meister" and an artist who "...Is not afraid to explore" with Tower Records Japan dubbing him "...Electropop prince" and Timmy Kusnierek of YourEDM calling him "...One of the most accomplished experimental electronic artists", as well as his music "...An incredibly forward-thinking production that's beyond description". In addition, Meshell Ndegeocello described his music as "...Modern and moves".

 
Kenny Garrett & Svoy on the cover of DownBeat Magazine

In 2009, Svoy was granted a Green Card in the United States as an Alien of Extraordinary Ability and became a naturalized United States citizen in 2017. Svoy resides in New York City and Los Angeles.

Influences

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As a pianist/composer, Svoy is influenced by Lyle Mays and Chick Corea among others, while some of his influences as a songwriter/producer are Peter Gabriel, Meshell Ndegeocello, Depeche Mode, Sting, Maxwell, Boards of Canada and Prefuse 73.

Personal life

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Svoy identifies as an agnostic. He went to Berklee at the same time with Eric Andre, St. Vincent, Esperanza Spalding, Louis Cato, Christian Scott, Mark Kelly, Walter Smith III, Kendrick Scott among others.

Discography

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Solo albums

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Year Album Chart peak positions
Japan Top Independent Albums and Singles
2005 Eclectric -
2009 Automatons 100
2010 Et Al. (unreleased) -
2011 Grow Up -
2014 Lovedsolved -
2017 Beautifulie -
2020 Won -

Collaboration albums

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Year Album Chart peak positions
American Jazz Albums Chart
2024 Who Killed AI? with Kenny Garrett -

Symphony albums

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Year Album
2015 Symphony No. 1: What Happened When I Was Asleep
2016 Symphony No. 2: Amurdeswa
2016 Symphony No. 3: 321
2018 Symphony No. 4: FRea
2019 Symphony No. 5: Tocktick
Year Album
2009 Consequence EP 1.0
2012 Solved EP
2014 Lovedso EP

Compilations

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Year Album
2012 Yours, Svoy: The Best of 2005-2012

Singles

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Year Single Peak chart positions Album
Japan Hot 100 Airplay
Japan Hot 100 Singles
2007 "Driving Away" Eclectric
2009 "Beautiful Thing" 69 82 Automatons
2009 "I Don't Love (LIVE Acoustic)" I Don't Love (LIVE Acoustic)
2011 "Never Grow Up" Grow Up
2011 "Right Here, Right Now" Grow Up
2012 "Navsegda" Navsegda
2015 "Waiting for You" Symphony No.1: What Happened When I Was Asleep

Collaborations

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Year Artist Album Credit
2012 Kenny Garrett Seeds from the Underground vocals
2013 Kenny Garrett Pushing the World Away string arrangement
TBA Claudia Acuña Futuro co-production with Meshell Ndegeocello and Mark Kelley, keyboard & drum programming
2019 Demir Demirkan Elysium on Ashes co-write of the song "I'm Breaking"

Awards and nominations

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Year Result Award Category Work
2002 Won BMI Pete Carpenter Award Film/TV Music original instrumental composition
2004 Won BMI John Lennon Award Songwriting original song
2003 Won Berklee Performance Award Jazz Piano jazz piano performance
2011 Nominated Independent Music Awards Best Electronica/Dance Album Automatons
2011 Won Independent Music Awards Best Electronica/Dance Song Automatons
2011 Won Independent Music Awards Vox Populi Best Electronica/Dance Album Automatons
2011 Won Independent Music Awards Vox Populi Best Electronica/Dance Song Automatons

References

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  1. ^ "Svoy on YourEDM.com". 16 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Kenny Garrett & Svoy on Grammy.com".
  3. ^ "Svoy Universal Music Group profile".
  4. ^ "Mack Avenue Records". Archived from the original on 12 October 2013.
  5. ^ "P-Vine Records".
  6. ^ "RELEASES : Svoy "Grow Up"". www.thistimerecords.com.
  7. ^ "Who Killed AI? by Kenny Garrett & Svoy on AllMusic.com". AllMusic.
  8. ^ "BMI Foundation Announces 2004 Lennon Scholarships". BMI.com. 12 May 2004.
  9. ^ "Pete Carpenter Winners Congratulated". BMI.com. 9 December 2002.
  10. ^ "aCharts.us". αCharts.
  11. ^ "FM Kyoto Overseas TOP 40 September 6, 2009".
  12. ^ "Svoy".
  13. ^ "10th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners Announced!". 29 March 2011.
  14. ^ "Fans Establish New Winners In The 10th Independent Music Awards Vox Pop Poll". 20 July 2011.
  15. ^ "10th Annual IMA Judges".
  16. ^ "Svoy – "Waiting for You" (audio) (Premiere), PopMatters". PopMatters. 26 May 2015.
  17. ^ Kusnierek, Timmy (16 June 2015). "Your EDM Premiere: Svoy - Symphony No. 1: What Happened When I Was Asleep".
  18. ^ "Digital Keyboards & Music Production | Yamaha Artists". www.yamaha.com.
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