Haramik / Armenia
Haramik is born in an Iranian - Armenian family from the United States. They currently live in Yerevan, Armenia and stand for human rights. One of their biggest achievements is reviving queer parties in Yerevan and influcencing the further developing of queer scene in Armenia.
Hi! Please introduce yourself by telling 3 fun facts about your life.
1. I wanted to become a president when I was little.
2. I’m one of the founders of a local queer night, “Princess diaries” where everyone can be the princess they’ve wanted to be.
3. I’ve studied piano and classical music for 10 years. .
What are your preferences in music and how has it been developed?
As a newborn I grew up listening to Cher, Barbara Streisand and Googoosh playing in the background. I started playing the piano when I was six. Very early in my teenage years I found out about metal music and loved it. While getting more involved in the underground scene here in Yerevan, I started getting into disco, hip-hop and indie music, exploring multiple genres and diving deeper and deeper into electronic music. The first time I actually found out about techno, I hated it and thought it was repetitive and boring, but something just made me continue listening and slowly I got into the loopy, trippy vibes that it gives off. I started finding my reflection in those loops and started getting into the multidimensional realms of techno. My first time at a rave was astonishing and an eye opening experience because I truly found out what freedom and love is, where people are all free without any expectations. Some of the major musical influences in my life have been Slipknot, Gojira, Marilyn Manson, Rammstein, Disturbed, System of A Down, Tame Impala, Queen, Cher, Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, DVS1, Freddy K, SOPHIE and many others.
Tell us about your mix for LVBZ?
My Music is a form of protest for me. A protest for self-exploration and Love. I’ve tried to create hyper-groovy beats that make you shake your body non-stop, in the midst of dim strobes and dreamlike haze.
What is your favourite track in the mix?
DJ DISRESPECT | RAGE (SOFT MIX)
Which moment is the most touching/emotional moment in your mix and why?
I will leave that for the people listening to my mix ;)
How music & culture from your region is different from other parts of the world?
If I’m about to put a name for music and culture in my region it will be “Life-Loving-Grief”. In other words Armenians have a life loving approach but are still in mourning from the centuries old traumas that have caused so much political and social turmoil.
Is there's any shift in perception of queer people in Armenia?
Queer Culture has definitely started blooming in the past 2-3 years, but there’s still a awful lot of stigma and hate intertwined with queerness and homosexuality within the public.
Name 3 artists from your playlist which we should pay attention to and why?
1. Elvina Makarian - A well know 90’s jazz singer that has defiantly been an inspiration amongst a lot of queer folk.2. Charles Aznavour - “What makes a man?” The single is about a trans person that works at a club and surprisingly has been one of the only songs of his that hasn’t been performed in Armenia. 3. “Collectif Medz Bazar” - Is a folk fusion ensemble that has been mixing Armenian, Turkish, Kurdish and Persian songs with futuristic jazz, and has actively advocated for regional peace.
Enjoy a fine selection of local tracks which Haramik kindly selected for LVBZ.