Demetri Manabat | Important Ears Only | Las Vegas Spoken Word Artist
- SocialSecuritii
- Oct 22
- 3 min read
Demetri Manabat: The Spoken Word Architect of Emotion
Every city has its poets, but few have a voice that commands the room before they even speak. In Las Vegas, that voice belongs to Demetri Manabat; a rising spoken word artist redefining what it means to feel words, not just hear them. Born and raised in the city of neon and noise, Demetri stands out for his quiet power. That rare mix of vulnerability, mastery, and control that makes you hang on every syllable.
Though his spoken word journey began in January 2023, his relationship with language has been lifelong. You can hear it in his cadence; the way his voice bends around heartbreak, grief, and self-reflection like it’s been living there for years. Demetri doesn’t just write poetry; he translates experience into sound. Each line feels carved out of lived emotion, each pause weighted with the understanding that silence sometimes says more than words.
His performances are emotional autopsies: honest, raw dissections of love, loss, and the human condition. But what makes Demetri special isn’t just his willingness to be transparent; it’s his precision. There’s intention behind every gesture, every breath, every look to the audience. Demetri Manabat performs with you. And by the end of the night, you'll leave the room different.
In just a short time, Demetri has built an undeniable track record. As a member of the 2024 Spotlight Poetry Slam Team, he’s already cemented himself as one of the strongest voices in the Southwest’s growing poetry circuit. His resume reads like a roadmap of purpose: 15-time Slam Champion, performances in Nevada, California, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico, and features on national stages like Voices in Power: one of the most respected platforms for spoken word in the country.
But what’s perhaps most impressive is the reach of his work beyond the stage. Demetri has amassed over 15 million views across social media for his poetry. not through trends or gimmicks, but through resonance. His performances have caught the attention of Upworthy and the Associated Press, two platforms known for spotlighting stories that make us pause and think about what it means to be human.
When Demetri performs, you reflect. His poems often touch on grief and healing, but instead of framing them as isolated emotions, he weaves them into universal narratives. He reminds us that pain isn’t a burden; it’s proof of love’s existence. He challenges the audience to sit with discomfort until it becomes understanding.
And that’s what makes him such an important addition to the Important Ears Only showcase. This event is about presence. It’s about artists who turn their inner worlds into mirrors for the audience. Demetri embodies that. He’s part of a growing movement to elevate spoken word poetry into the same cultural sphere as music, film, and comedy. not as an alternative art form, but as a mainstream necessity.
Because in truth, poetry has always been the foundation of those other forms. The best songs start as poems. The best actors study rhythm and tone. The best comedians know timing and tension like poets do. Demetri understands this lineage and he’s not just participating in it, he’s pushing it forward.
Watching Demetri live is like witnessing emotional architecture being built in real time. He builds the frame with his storytelling, fills it with rhythm, and then lets silence hang just long enough for you to step inside. You don’t need to “get it” — you feel it. His performances aren’t lectures; they’re baptisms.
The Las Vegas art scene has been steadily expanding its borders, and artists like Demetri are proof of what happens when spoken word finds its rightful place at the table. His success doesn’t just belong to him; it belongs to every local poet who has ever scribbled something on a napkin at 2 a.m. and wondered if it mattered. It’s a reminder that it does.
When he takes the stage at Important Ears Only, it’ll be more than just another performance. It’ll be a moment of recognition; not just for Demetri, but for the entire poetic community that has worked tirelessly to give this art form the respect it deserves.
So here’s to Demetri Manabat; the wordsmith, the healer, the craftsman. A voice for those still learning how to speak their truth. His work lives at the intersection of pain and peace, and his mission is bigger than applause: it’s about helping people feel seen, one verse at a time.
Because in a city built on spectacle, it’s rare to find someone who builds meaning instead. Demetri doesn’t perform to be remembered; he performs to remind us why we feel in the first place.
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