It’s not everyday that one can say that they have played at famous venues in and around the greater Pittsburgh area – from places such as The Rex Theater, The Andy Warhol Museum, or even the Three Rivers Art Festival.
That is, unless you are Elias Khouri. The 16 year-old guitarist has been making quite the stir in the Pittsburgh music scene not because he feels as though he has to do it – but simply because making music is what he loves to do.
As a child, Elias’ path to discovering his own tastes and interests in the music industry are how many come to find what they like – through their parents, where “I describe my music as Funk, Soul, and Rock ‘n’ Roll – I got my interest in music by listening to my parents play their music, which consists of many artists such as Santana, Hendrix, Peter Frampton, Cream, and Jeff Beck. ”
But what sets him apart from all of his counterparts hoping to break into the music industry? Determination and passion, for starters. Elias started to learn guitar when he was 13 years-old, and hasn’t been able to put it down since. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect is a motto Elias is sure to live by.
But, the idea of being famous and stealing the spotlight isn’t all what Elias is chasing after, but much rather how he can leave a lasting impact on the community around him. When he isn’t a musical prodigy during the night, at his high school he strives to be as much of a positive influence to aspiring musicians and singers alike.
As for the future, well – that’s entirely up to Elias. As a natural star as he is on stage, he also feels incredibly comfortable behind the scenes, stating “I tend to find myself thinking that I will be in music production and promotions, while still being a music artist – I would like to influence and inspire the current music scene.”
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.