LIL MAK MARIALENA

Lil’ Mak Marialena (birthname Marianna Karapetyan) was at the age of 4 when she first showed a special interest, talent, and love for Rap. It was at that early age she started to transform singing songs into rap-style performances. Lil' Mak started to perform the poems in the show concerts organized by the Arabkir Community in Yerevan, Armenia. She started to get "singing lessons" at a very early age, having her singer mother Rubina Terteryan, and her mother's aunt Gohar Galachian, a well-known Opera singer and a professor at the Armenian State Conservatory, to work with her trying to teach her singing. However, as a child, she was more prone to dancing and physical activities, so her parents took her to ballet classes at the Yerevan State Opera and Ballet Theater. After leaving ballet, she chose to take karate lessons 'Shitoryu Karate-Do' and won 3rd place in the Armenian Federation Competition in 2002 (in the girl's group of ages 10-12). Little Mak, denied any musical education, enrollment in a music school, or learning at home from her parents. She was refusing to practice with her Mom to learn how to play piano and her Dad to teach her to play the flute. She was willing to stay with her maternal Grandpa (also a musician: Sedrak Terteryan) who wasn't talking to her about studying music. He was telling her stories and rhythms, and teaching her well-known poems, which she would modify and retell in a rapping manner. Later on, being yet a kid, she would "write" her poems and songs. After a while, one day she sat down in front of the piano and started to sing a rhythmic melody on her poems, accompanying herself with 'weird' chords. She was so enthusiastic and into it. Later on, she used to play and sing only that one song, acting like a proficient "composer" songwriter, working on it over & over again.

 

In 2004 she moved to the USA where she finally realized that she wanted to be in the music field at age 13. Later she started to practice singing and recording at home on her laptop.  She attended a music class playing Bells at the Music School, where her parents used to work as teachers.

 

Lil’ Mak continued writing poems, which later turned into good lyrics to her songs. Lil Mak started to perform while being a student at Junior High School. She got promoted by Big D, to rap in Big D Entertainment shows at age 13. She has performed at UCLA, LAVC, Grant High, The Airliner, The Room, Club D.N.A., and Echoplex just to name a few, and in various community fairs. Lil Mak Marialena has made songs with people of different nationalities, such as French, Hispanic, Afro-American, Armenian, etc... Her album titled RAP, which stands for Rhythmic, American, and Armenian Poetry was produced and mixed by MG. Lil Mak developed her multiple talents in various fields such as acting, fashion, painting, and design while maintaining the mainstream of rapping within many aspects of creativity. Lil Mak Marialena followed her Hip-Hop and rap dreams while majoring in psychology/sociology and working in the field. She then changed her major to Business Management and Marketing, which was more dear to her goals and future dreams. This young artist, known as the First Armenian Female Rapper, has shown "the potential to surprise and delight"... "Who would think an Armenian girl would rap?" However, Lil Mak Marialena does and without profanity nor promoting violence. Her songs encourage peace, love, and harmony. She does it in a very special and unique way...

   Also, she has been advocating and standing up for Women’s Rights, Social Justice, Education, and Equality!