Boyce Avenue set to rock The Wiltern
Say the words “Boyce Avenue” and anyone vaguely familiar with YouTube musicians will instantly jump out of their seats in sheer excitement. The superstar trio of brothers, renowned for their soulful acoustic covers of popular songs and original music, is the most-viewed independent band on YouTube and has stolen the hearts of many fans around the world. But they haven’t stopped there.
Making it big · Known for both their soulful covers and original songs, Boyce Avenue is the most-viewed independent band on YouTube. – Photo courtesy of Boyce Avenue
Boyce Avenue is currently on a North American tour to promote its latest EP, “No Limits,” and is ready to charm its fans at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on Nov. 15. The band will also perform in San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Tallahassee and Orlando. Fans will be excited to know that they can expect the versatility, emotional depth and liveliness that has led the band to stardom.
“It will be a little bit of everything,” said Daniel Manzano, vocalist, bass and percussion player and oldest of the three. “We know that when we go see a concert, we love to see the entire dynamic spectrum. The band will be happy and dancing, but they’ll also have emotional moments that connect the band to the audience, so we want to do the same things at our shows.”
Daniel Manzano also hinted that concertgoers should expect both original songs in addition to covers and music genres ranging from soulful acoustic sounds to rock. It is evident from their YouTube channel that Boyce Avenue is able to turn any popular song into its own musical narrative.
Known for their heartfelt collaborations with artists like X Factor runner-up Carly Rose Sonenclar and YouTube star Kina Grannis, the band has invited two artists fans might be familiar with to join them on their North American tour. The show will be supported by 2009 American Idol winner Kris Allen and will feature pop artist and songwriter Curtis Peoples.
Even though the band has reached international recognition since the conception of its YouTube channel, its origins are humble. The Florida-based band, consisting of brothers Daniel, Alejandro (lead vocals, guitar, piano) and Fabian Manzano (guitar, vocals), was formed when the three brothers reconnected after pursuing their own paths in higher education. After Daniel moved back to Florida following his graduation from Harvard Law School, the Manzano brothers began to make music together, recording covers of their favorite songs and posting them online.
Boyce Avenue has since become a global music presence. Their most popular videos have reached more than 30 million views, including acoustic versions of Justin Timberlake’s “Mirrors,” Miley Cyrus’s “We Can’t Stop” and Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man.” The band has 6.4 million subscribers on YouTube, surpassing that of Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, and was even invited to open for British pop band One Direction during their debut “Up All Night” tour.
“No Limits” was released in April 2014, their first since 2010. It features seven tracks and a collaboration with dance producer/D.J. Milkman.
As expected, recording a video and singing live in front of a crowd are completely different experiences. “When you’re playing live, a lot of it is about interplay between you as the band together on stage and you as the band connecting with the audience,” Daniel said.
Because shows allow the band members to meet their supporters, playing live is Daniel’s favorite way of sharing his music. “It’s our chance to bring our music live and play for everybody,” he said.
Despite the band’s evolution, Boyce Avenue’s original formula for success hasn’t changed. Whether the Manzano brothers are performing for an online audience or in front of a live crowd of screaming fans, they have always stayed true to themselves and the music.
“For us, it’s about the music and the message, and I think people can relate to that,” Daniel said. “We really make sure that everything we record is something we’re really passionate about and we think is great. It’s something that people can listen to for the next 20 years of their life. For us, it’s about creating great music and delivering on that passion that we have for our sound and songs.”
Daniel recommends that budding performers look within themselves and perfect something that distinguishes them from the pack.
“I think you have to be yourself and work hard and be consistent. Find what it is that makes you special and work hard at sharing that with the world. A lot of people are all over the place because they don’t ever find that thing that makes them special,” he said.