Armik was born in Iran of Armenian descent. When he was just seven years old, he pawned his watch for a classical guitar, which he hid and practiced on in the basement. Formal music lessons followed and Armik completed a rigid instructional regimen in just two years. At 12, he was a professional recording artist. While his early career focused mostly on jazz, Armik discovered the beauty and passion of Flamenco while visiting and studying in Spain during the 1970s when he saw the legendary Paco de Lucia perform. Driven by a fire for the tradition that has defined his musical life ever since, the young musician immediately switched from his Jazz guitar for an in-depth journey to the heart of Spanish music.
He moved to Los Angeles to pursue this new direction, playing with other artists live and in the studio. By 1994 he released his solo debut album RAIN DANCER, a critical and commercial success that he followed with 1995's GYPSY FLAME. At this point, Armik's reputation as a performer and student of flamenco was such that expert Spanish luthier Pedro Maldonado created an instrument for him, the Rubia; Armik's 1996 album was recorded with, and named after it. The following year saw the release of MALAGA, and his fifth album, ISLA DEL SOL, appeared in 1999, followed by ROSAS DEL AMOR in the spring of 2001. 2002's LOST IN PARADISE was a sensual and elegant album that offered a slanted take on his traditional style. His releases have consistently reached top ten positions on Billboard’s Top Selling New Age Charts, and during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece two tracks from Armik’s recordings were played during the floor exercises to accompany gymnast Daniela Sofronie of Romania.
Armik continues to blaze his Nuevo Flamenco virtuosity around the world as the owner of the Bolero Records imprint. As an artist and executive, his route to becoming a success was not all about making music as art, but in knowing what to do when THE big break comes your way. Armik’s approach to business is as skillful as his dexterous use of custom-made guitars and just as masterful.
Since its inception, all of Armik’s recordings on the Bolero Records imprint have charted above the top ten rung on the Billboard New Age ladder of success including the best selling debut, LOST IN PARADISE. The recording paints a lush landscape of a unique style Armik calls "Latin gypsy jazz," joyfully blending classic elements of rhumba, cha-cha, bolero, jazz, and, a bit of bossa nova. AMOR DE GUITARRA followed in 2002 followed by three top ten hits in 2004 – ROMANTIC DREAMS, TREASURES and his first recording featuring a piano performance titled PIANO NIGHTS.
2005 proved that lightning could strike twice in the same spot with CAFÉ ROMANTICO and MAR DE SUENOS both peaking at Number 4 on the Billboard New Age chart.
DESIRES – THE ROMANTIC COLLECTION, released in January of 2006, features Armik’s romantic muse on a canvas of hits culled from five chart-topping CDs. Its high contrast of rhythmic colors and diverse flamenco patterns, provide a lush, richly diverse collection of songs that beautifully detail Armik’s distinctive style and technique.
With MI PASIÓN, also released in 2006, Armik displays his musical genius once again with 11 songs that are subtler, richer, but equally charming and passionate in relaying Armik’s virtuosic guitar playing. GUITARRISTA, released in 2007, is yet another remarkable example of Armik’s guitar excellence and Nuevo Flamenco sophistication.
On BARCELONA (February 2008), Armik’s guitar virtuosity embodies the spirits of Spain and the Flamenco rhythms that echo throughout that country and around the world. Each song on this wonderful recording exemplifies Armik’s own unique sonic paths and musical visions, which consist of beautiful melodies, exciting musical tapestries and seductive harmonic and rhythmic counterpoint.
Isla del Sol
Armik Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fue el que traiciono a Quintana
Cuando llevava una carga
Para entregarla a la mafia
Alli firmo su sentencia
Y andubo a salto de mata
En la ciudad de Juliet
Y tambien en sur Chicago
Y lo estaban esperando
Y dicen que en Kansas City
Pudo escapar de milagros
Un policia deshonesto
Que tambien murio en la quema
Dijo que estaba escondido
En la Ciudad de las Vegas
Que ya se iva para Europa
No mas cobrando unas deudas
Alli volaron los buitres
Este fue un fin de semana
Pero lo enjcontraron muerto
Lo havia matado una dama
Una mujer muy bonita
Que fue novia de Quintana
La traicion no es buen negocio
Cuando se apuesta la vida
Lauro no quizo entenderlo
Y traiciono a la familia
Le costo mucho dinero
Y al final hasta la vida
La rubia de la venganza
Era de ojitos borrados
Segun el retrato hablado
Por la version de un empleado
Ella escapo de la ley
Y nunca la an encontrado
Alli volaron los buitres
Este fue un fin de semana
Pero lo encontraron muerto
Lo havia matado una dama
Una mujer muy bonita
Que fue novia de Quintana
The lyrics of Armik's song Isla del Sol tell the story of Lauro Cantu Villarreal, who betrayed his boss Quintana and was subsequently hunted down by the mafia. Lauro was carrying a package for the mafia when he betrayed Quintana, and as a result, he was marked for death. The song describes Lauro's attempts to evade capture, from dodging pursuit in Juliet and South Chicago to narrowly escaping in Kansas City. Despite his efforts to escape, Lauro was eventually found dead, killed by a woman who was the former girlfriend of Quintana. The song suggests that betraying a criminal organization is a lethal mistake, and those who refuse to understand this will ultimately pay the price.
The lyrics of Isla del Sol are a tragic tale of betrayal and revenge set to a backdrop of Latin flamenco-influenced music. The song is notable for its vivid storytelling and the way it draws the listener in with its characters and plot. The character of Lauro Cantu Villarreal represents the danger of getting involved in criminal activities and the consequences of betraying those who have put their trust in you.
Line by Line Meaning
Lauro Cantu Villarreal
The name of the person being talked about in the song.
Fue el que traiciono a Quintana
Lauro betrayed Quintana.
Cuando llevava una carga
While transporting a load.
Para entregarla a la mafia
To deliver it to the mafia.
Alli firmo su sentencia
There, he sealed his fate.
Y andubo a salto de mata
He fled, always on the run.
En la ciudad de Juliet
In the city of Juliet.
Y tambien en sur Chicago
And also in South Chicago.
Ya se sabia del soplon
The informant was already known.
Y lo estaban esperando
They were waiting for him.
Y dicen que en Kansas City
And they say that in Kansas City.
Pudo escapar de milagros
He miraculously managed to escape.
Un policia deshonesto
A corrupt police officer.
Que tambien murio en la quema
Who also died in the fire.
Dijo que estaba escondido
He said that he was in hiding.
En la Ciudad de las Vegas
In the city of Las Vegas.
Que ya se iva para Europa
Saying that he was heading to Europe.
No mas cobrando unas deudas
Just collecting some debts.
Alli volaron los buitres
The vultures started circling.
Este fue un fin de semana
This was a weekend.
Pero lo enjcontraron muerto
But he was found dead.
Lo havia matado una dama
A lady had killed him.
Una mujer muy bonita
A very beautiful woman.
Que fue novia de Quintana
Who used to be Quintana's girlfriend.
La traicion no es buen negocio
Betrayal is not a good business.
Cuando se apuesta la vida
Especially when life is at stake.
Lauro no quizo entenderlo
Lauro didn't want to understand this.
Y traiciono a la familia
And he betrayed the family.
Le costo mucho dinero
It cost him a lot of money.
Y al final hasta la vida
And in the end, even his life.
La rubia de la venganza
The blonde woman of revenge.
Era de ojitos borrados
Had blurry eyes.
Segun el retrato hablado
According to the police sketch.
Por la version de un empleado
Based on the testimony of an employee.
Ella escapo de la ley
She escaped from the law.
Y nunca la an encontrado
And she was never found.
Alli volaron los buitres
The vultures started circling.
Este fue un fin de semana
This was a weekend.
Pero lo encontraron muerto
But he was found dead.
Lo havia matado una dama
A lady had killed him.
Una mujer muy bonita
A very beautiful woman.
Que fue novia de Quintana
Who used to be Quintana's girlfriend.
Contributed by Charlie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.