Of voice and pen: How Gayane Tadevosyan unites a cappella and literature
Artist, composer and writer Gayane Tadevosyan brings a unique synthesis to the Armenian cultural scene. Her art is rooted in the depth of literary narratives and the pure sound of the human voice. In our conversation, Tadevosyan reveals how her two creative paths — writing and music — are inseparably linked, nourished by her personal drive.
Although she co-authored a book at 19, Tadevosyan said that music had always been at the center of her inner world. For her, music is not a choice, but a vital necessity. “Music and I are synonyms,” she told the Weekly. “It has never been that I am cut off from it. For me, it is the motivation to live, to create and to move forward.”
Tadevosyan believes that her literary and musical expressions operate as a single, unified mechanism. “They are excessively interconnected because without beautiful thoughts and lines, a beautiful song cannot be created, no matter how good the music is,” she stated.
Consequently, the writer’s demand for precise language is reflected equally in her song lyrics. This combination compels her to take on new projects. She anticipates adding a new literary work to her series of original songs. While the work will be humorous, presenting interesting episodes from her life, it will also contain “a serious and profound subtext.” In this way, her dual creative path develops simultaneously, sustaining one another.
Tadevosyan’s musical calling emerged early, at age five. Her love of music led her to learn piano, then guitar and, most recently, violin. Parallel to this education, her family provided a nurturing environment that encouraged her musical creativity. “My father, grandfather and aunt have excellent musical abilities,” she explained. “I believe they are the ones ‘to blame’ for me going down this path.” This journey, which began with classical instruments and family influences, eventually led her to a cappella as the purest and most direct form of self-expression.
“I adore polyphony. And I really wanted to understand: how would various musical instruments sound with my voice?”
Her a cappella breakthrough came when she arranged the Hamshen Armenian song “Garmin” using only her voice. Tadevosyan said it is essential to have a signature style in the Armenian music scene. “If something is created with love, it cannot fail to be accepted and bring you recognition.
In addition to musical training and family influence, Tadevosyan’s creative process is guided by a personal, almost mystical secret she has carried since childhood. “I have a small secret… Since childhood, I have had dreams that come true with chronological accuracy,” she explained. Her dreams have foreshadowed real-life events, people she would meet and countries she would visit. They also inspire her music.
“Very often, I have seen and heard the majority of my songs right in my dreams.” This intuitive connection with her subconscious makes songwriting fluid and natural. When the melody is already “heard,” creation becomes easy and fast — a process she said demonstrates why anything created with love cannot be difficult.
At 19, Tadevosyan published the co-authored book, “Light in the Darkness,” a collection of her poetry and prose. At the time, her literary focus was on love, but her themes have since broadened significantly.
Although she dislikes competitions, the artist’s original songs have achieved national and international recognition, including the “Best Duet” award in 2016 and the “Grand Prix” at Golden Voice in 2022. Having participated in competitions with her original songs, she has learned that sometimes it is better not to compete “to avoid unnecessary stress.”
Despite the breadth of her repertoire, Tadevosyan’s dearest work remains her very first one, “The Wings of Love.” The song holds both musical and emotional significance. “Because it reminds me who I was and what path I have traveled,” she explained. It embodied her central artistic message: love as a universal motivation.
“The main message of all my songs is love: toward people, toward life.
Today, Tadevosyan has a clear vision for her future. She is preparing to release a new song with a music video, and hopes to publish her long-awaited book next year. Her parallel pursuit of literature and music highlights a key lesson of her art: transitions between the two are not impossible but represent new opportunities. She demonstrates that both fields can be nourished from a shared, sincere and creative source, without conflict.
Reflecting on her own path, full of unexpected twists and self-expression, Tadevosyan offers advice to emerging artists: believe in your strength, starting with self-acceptance. “First and foremost, you are obligated to love yourselves as you are, turning all your flaws into advantages.” Creatively, she urges young artists not to fear sincerity and to write about everything, no matter how light or “unserious” — like, “your failed first love, your neighbor Tsoghik’s big nose, the dirty streets…”
This faith and sincerity are what break down boundaries: “Belief in one’s own power can cut the tail of the impossible like scissors and make it the slave of the possible.”
All photos are courtesy of Gayane Tadevosyan unless otherwise noted.
