Charming Liars' evolution began in London’s West End when guitarist Karnig Manoukian and bassist Mike Kruger were still in their teens. Both came from homes with wide ranging and eclectic musical tastes, and that early exposure informed their approach to making music. They started writing and playing together in a series of bands and honed their musicianship with tours up and down the U.K.
In 2013 they moved to Los Angeles, a decision in part spurred on by an encouraging social media message from songwriter and producer John Feldmann (Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, 5 Seconds of Summer, Blink-182). Shortly after, the two connected with vocalist Kiliyan Maguire through a mutual friend. Those initial conversations led to songwriting and then recording sessions – the 3 realized that they had an organic musical chemistry that would lead to interesting possibilities.
2019 proved to be a breakout year for the band, who released their debut album, Thought, Flesh and Bone, a follow-up acoustic EP, Bare Bones, and closed the year with a live collection titled Live 2019. They also headlined shows on the West Coast, toured Europe with The Faim, and crossed the U.S. as direct support for Angels & Airwaves. Most recently Charming Liars returned to Europe with Palaye Royale.
Despite the challenges posed by 2020, Charming Liars continued writing and released a series of new singles including “Favorite Show,” “BLAME,” and “Impact.” The new music has caught the attention of listeners around the world, as well as publications such as NPR, Grammy.com, Alternative Press, idobi Radio, and more. They ended the year with their “Live Sounds Of 2020” video series, which captured the energy of live shows that fans had been missing.
Charming Liars has shared additional videos from their live series over the last few months, and most recently debuted their new EP Sequence 1: Noise Maker. The band looks forward to playing these new songs live for the first time and reconnecting with fans when they hit the road with The Hunna later this year.
Charming Liars is:
Kiliyan Maguire - Vocals
Karnig Manoukian - Guitar, Production
Mike Kruger - Bass