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BAHRAIN-BASED musical sensation Manny G has big goals to create his first solo album this year while building a local community of artists that support each other.
The 45-year-old is currently working to make his dream a reality and continuing to stage his weekly Jam Nights, a unique platform providing aspiring and seasoned musicians a stage to perform live on while also having a good time.
“I get diverse musical talents, from trumpeters and violinists to bassists and singers, and slowly we are building a strong, growing community of artists,” the creative, who has been living in Bahrain for the last eight years, told GulfWeekly.
“The music scene has evolved so much since I was last here. When I lived here in 2015, it was just typical bands playing but now there’s a growing freelance community and so many venues to play at, which is also why I do these Jam Nights to help musicians in the business,” the Juffair resident, who has performed at notable local venues and the F1 Village during the Bahrain Grand Prix more than once, added.
Manny first landed in the kingdom in 2014 and instantly fell in love with the place. However, he left after a year, went to Dubai, and retuned in 2017. Since then, he has been ‘killing the scene in Bahrain’.
While his successful musical career spans more than a decade, Manny first started singing at the tender age of eleven when his mum made him join their church choir in his home city of Montreal, the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest in Canada, and the ninth-largest in North America. That time spent learning how to sing from his pastor paved the path for his musical journey.
“I kept on doing that (singing with the church choir) and at 15, I started doing shows in Montreal. When I finished high school, I came across an audition for a boy band and that’s how All Axcess was formed. We did an album together and toured Europe where we opened for big names like Westlife and Anastacia.
“Three years in the boy band taught me a lot. I was young, new to the music business and learned the ropes in these formative years – how to bounce back from setbacks, how to deal with managers and how to make songs sound catchy.
“Around 2011, I started getting international shows, which let me travel extensively across Asia and the Middle East. That’s how I came to Bahrain,” the rhythm and blues (R&B) artist revealed.
Manny started freelancing and over time, gained in popularity across the local music community and among enthusiasts in the kingdom. In the last decade here, he has come to be known for his R&B and soul music acts.
“I grew up with R&B music… soul and blues. That’s my forte,” he said.
Always seeking a new adventure, Manny’s goal for 2025 is to showcase his original sound to his fans. “I want to release my own album and start performing that for people. It would be themed around love and heartbreak and influenced by my passion for R&B. I’ve lived here for so many years and I want people to know me for my own creations too,” he added.
n For more details, follow @mannyfreshmusic on Instagram.
