A lot has changed in contemporary Armenian music over the past thirty years. There weren’t so many singers back then, each song differed from the other and singers actually knew how to sing. When you compare the music of the 70s with today, you realize that market relations and competition don’t always guarantee quality.
The “Yerevan is singing the 70s songs” project, an initiative taken by Armenian musician and businessman Vazgen Asatryan, has sold out many auditoriums and has even turned into a New Years’ television show. Every project has a sequel, and this one was no exception. The well-known singers of the 70s performed on stage with today’s artists during a concert dedicated to March 8th. Vazgen Asatryan had decided to unite the old and new and form duets. But since it was International Women’s Day, he gave it a little twist. Going along with the tradition of “collective” concerts, there was more humor and well-wishing heard on stage, rather than rock and jazz.
Singers Nadezhda Sargsyan and Susan Margaryan sang with their daughters. Duets were performed by Nune Yesayan and Ashot Ghazaryan, Radik Gabrielyan and Aramo, Georgi Mangasaryan and Sirusho, Gayane Hovhannisyan and Arsen Safaryan, Ruben Matevosyan and Christine Pepelyan, Emmi and Vazgen Asatryan, who had always dreamt of singing on stage. Singing live on stage proved that singers do have weaknesses. Almost everyone was singing out of tune, even Sofi Mkheyan and Vazgen Asatryan. The young audience welcomed the well-known singers of the 1970s. Either today’s singers can’t sing that well, or the best were not on stage that day.