System of a Down’s Serj Tankian conveys maximum emotion with just his voice and an acoustic piano on a new cover of “Lady in Red” balladeer Chris de Burgh’s song “I’m Counting on You,” which is out today (Sept. 5). The song will also be included on Covers, Collaborations & Collages, which is rolling out a new track one week at a time until its full release on Oct. 24 from Serjical Strike Records/Create Music Group.
Tankian has already released lead track “Electric Dreams” and the Deadmau5 collaboration “A Seed” from the project, which also features team-ups with Bic Runga and composer Lucas Vidal. It closes with a cover of Armenian songwriter Ruben Hakhverdyan’s “When Death Arrives.”
A video for “I’m Counting on You,” directed by George Tonikian, can be seen below. “I’ve been a fan of Chris de Burgh since I was young and ‘I’m Counting on You’ is one of my favorite songs of his,” Tankian wrote on Instagram. “This song has been on my mind and in my heart for a long time. The simplicity of the piano and vocal arrangement gives way to the message in the lyrics of this beautiful song.”
Tankian is winding down a summer tour with System of a Down, who have played live more frequently this year (14 shows) than anytime since 2017. The final performance is tonight at Rogers Stadium in Toronto.
“Our shared heritage as Armenian-Americans, shared respect for each other and knowing each other’s families means we’re still able to perform and have fun together despite creative differences,” he told SPIN last year. “I love the guys and the music. I just don’t want to repeat it ad nauseam so it becomes redundant for me, like touring does.”
Tomorrow, Tankian will be in Watertown, Ma., for the opening of the multimedia exhibition The Art of Disruption: The Art and Impact of Serj Tankian, which was inspired by his 2024 memoir Down With the System. The project will be on display at the Armenian Music of America through February 2026.
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