Award-winning Turkish-American writer, composer, and producer T.J. Armand - who recently produced the critically acclaimed albums for Tony award nominee Mary Bridget Davies and Windsor Castle’s resident sextet The Queen’s Six - unveils his debut poetry collection, "Self-Imposed Exile – Poems of Queer Beginnings." This evocative collection of 56 selected poems offers a candid exploration of Armand's formative years, capturing the raw essence of his journey as an immigrant and a young queer artist.
Armand, whose diverse artistic portfolio spans three decades, was mentored by the late Grammy-winning producer Arif Mardin. He is a full-scholarship recipient from Berklee College of Music. Armand's multifaceted career includes notable concert productions with Chaka Khan, The Manhattan Transfer, and Tony nominee (for her role as Janis Joplin) Mary Bridget Davies. As a co-founder and Executive Director of Armand and Paiva LLC, he has invested in Tony-nominated shows such as "The Great Comet" starring Josh Groban, Stephen Sondheim’s "Merrily We Roll Along," and the currently in-development production of Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own."
"Self-Imposed Exile – Poems of Queer Beginnings" delves into the politics of immigration, sexual identity, and the struggles of a young artist. Readers will find a deeply personal reflection of Armand's experiences—from the heartbreak of losing a beloved partner in 1994 to the challenges of mandatory military service, and the naïveté of his college years to the struggles of coming out in America. These poems present an unfiltered look at a young man's fight to carve out his identity. Compiled during the reflective period of the COVID-19 lockdown in New York City, the collection revisits the tumultuous and often humorous false starts of Armand's early life.
"Self-Imposed Exile – Poems of Queer Beginnings" is available now on Amazon! Click Here!
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