From the Big Stage of Entertainment to the Frontline of Humanitarian Aid: Lyoka’s Unwavering Journey

At 34, Valeri bears the weight of experiences aging his face prematurely. Instability near his home border has left visible marks over five years. His once broad smile transformed into a serious expression, evident in YouTube music videos. You can trace this journey through the music video series on his page, from searching for his childhood home to discovering and renovating it.

Lyoka was born into a family residing in the Mardakert region, situated right on the frontline. Growing up in impoverished conditions, his father was drafted, and his mother grappled with providing for five children while caring for them. When discussing his upbringing, the 34-year-old Valeri appears reflective, wearing a subtle smile on his face as he recounts a small yet significant episode from his life: “Back at school, kids would call me a refugee since I lost my home early on. To me, my classmates seemed to be from wealthy families. Perhaps it was my perspective because I had to collect plastic bottles to earn 300 AMD in case we celebrated someone’s birthday at school.”

At the age of 34, Valeri has already witnessed six wars, some of them silent. “There was always war, diversion attacks, shootings, etc. It has been a part of my life. Even when entering a building, I first try to identify exit routes in case of war or shooting,” Ghazaryan remarked with a touch of humor. He jokingly added that over the years, he has been injured multiple times, and his body is predominantly composed of metal constructions. In his opinion, the only thing missing is a socket for charging right next to the heart.

It is challenging to fathom what it takes to break someone who is almost constructed of metal. When asked about the recent loss, Valeri states, almost emotionlessly, that he left his newly built home after living there for only two months. The blockade began, and Valeri desperately wanted to break through. He speaks in a serious tone, gesturing as if a map were in front of him, explaining that there were ways to reach his family, and he genuinely tried but did not succeed. The immediate thought of things we would get that crossed his mind was a small wooden house from his soon-to-cease-to-exist home, bearing the inscription “տունն է մենք ենք” [tounn e menk enk – We are the home]. It was a small gift received before filming a music video for his song, later serving as inspiration for the video.

Currently, Lyoka is gearing up to release multiple singles that have been in the making for an extended period. The “կյանք” [kyank – word play between life and existence in Armenian] series focuses on navigating the current situation where Armenians from Artsakh feel like guests in their own homeland. In Lyoka’s words, “We can’t access the schools we attended, we haven’t connected with our lifelong neighbors, and the new ones seem to show their faces only when reminding us that this place is not intended for parking. It is not life, it is existence.”

Lyoka now resides at ImpactHub, where he has been granted a co-working space to dedicate himself to his music and personal merch brand. Situated right next to the central station, this subtly hints at the fast-paced life of the singer. While posing for pictures in a pristine white outfit beside the boldly written “Yerevan,” it appears to signify a new beginning, a new chapter in the already seemingly lengthy life of Valeri Ghazaryan.