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I can't even imagine life without music!
Manika -
It's really important to me that my sound is a combination of beats and melody. I love hearing strong, confident beats in music because I love to dance. At the same time, melody is really important to me because I love singing.
Manika
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Alanis Morissette - I love how she's not afraid to say what she wants to say. Love it or hate it, she's going to say it. And her vocals are crazy; they're amazing, and I also love how her music is really organic.
Manika -
I wrote my first book when I was 15 years old. And my second book '1,2,3 Publish Me!' shows everyone how writing a book is done in just the three secret editing levels I discovered!
Manika -
I had the opportunity to go and read to cancer patients in hospitals and saw how something as little as that could make someone's day. I also think it's important to support people who are standing up for a good cause, so that's why I get involved with different campaigns and charities.
Manika -
When I'm on stage, it's like a different world ... me connecting with the audience. It's a surreal experience.
Manika -
I know it's a guy thing to chest bump, but me and my dancers chest bump before hitting the stage. Not too hard though...ouch!
Manika -
The thing that can get kind of annoying is, when you travel so much, how hectic it gets. I was being interviewed once - it was a phone interview - and they said, 'Where are you right now?' and I didn't know where I was.
Manika
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Nothing can stop a great song, so just keep songwriting.
Manika -
When I'm about to go on stage, and I look out and just see the fans filled out in the arena, all pumped up and screaming - that gives me butterflies! I just love that feeling, and I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, it's gonna be a great show!'
Manika -
If I weren't a performer, I would be still be writing and songwriting. Plus, I also really want to get into producing.
Manika -
I just love to dance. Pretty much every night, I'll just turn on the radio in my room and dance like crazy.
Manika -
My book 'The Exciting Adventures of Boo' was first published when I was fifteen. It is a children's book with ten different stories. In each story, the main character Boo learns a lesson - one of the ten most important lessons I learned as a kid. I also donated all the money from my books I personally sold to my local ASPCA Animal Shelter.
Manika -
I've always loved both writing and songwriting. The journey is fascinating to me.
Manika
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Music has always been my passion for as long as I can remember.
Manika -
I get my inspiration from everyday life, things people my age are going through in life, good and bad experiences.
Manika -
Growing up, I was so shy, but it was weird because I was the complete opposite on stage. I was just free to be myself.
Manika -
My iPod will shuffle from rap to pop to rock to classical ... It gets confusing!
Manika -
It would be pretty awesome to hear Eminem singing 'I'm a Good Girl'. Haha! Love Eminem!
Manika -
I approach song writing three different ways. One way is where I write the initial melody and lyrics first and then take it in to the producer to collaborate. Another way is where the producer sends me his initial musical track ideas and then I write the lyrics and melody over his track. The third way is where we just jam out in the studio and see what we come up with.
Manika
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'Don Quijote' by Cervantes. I read the original Spanish version when I was in high school. Such a classic!
Manika -
I have always been involved in my school's music program.
Manika -
I always have melodies flowing in my head - whether I'm just at home, at the mall, at a restaurant or wherever. I'm always humming along to the random melodies that form in my head. My friends always ask me, 'What are you singing?' and I'll be like, 'I don't know!'
Manika -
It's always amazing seeing the song-writing process. A song just starts off as just an idea or a story you want to tell. It keeps building and building when you add the lyrics, the instruments, the vocals until you finally reach the finished song other people can enjoy.
Manika