During a high-profile state visit to Yerevan, Armenia this week, French President Emmanuel Macron unexpectedly captured public attention with an unexpected musical interlude that overshadowed the formal diplomatic agenda of his trip. While attending a lavish state banquet held in his honor at the Armenian presidential residence on Monday night, Macron took the stage to perform two beloved French classic ballads for the assembled crowd of dignitaries and guests.
Among the songs he delivered was the iconic 1965 hit *La Bohème*, most famously recorded by legendary Armenian-French artist Charles Aznavour, alongside another timeless French ballad, *Les Feuilles Mortes*, originally popularized by famed French performer Yves Montand. The French leader was not alone on stage: he was joined by Armenia’s own Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who accompanied him on drums, with celebrated local jazz virtuoso Vahagn Hayrapetyan handling piano accompaniment for the surprise performance.
Macron’s unplanned musical appearance came during a packed diplomatic schedule that saw him in Yerevan for a bilateral state visit overlapping with two major European political gatherings: a full meeting of the European Political Community and a landmark European Union summit. This was far from Pashinyan’s first public turn as a working musician, however. Since taking office in 2018, the Armenian prime minister has been open about his passion for music, and performs regularly with his own amateur musical ensemble, Varchaband. The group held its first public debut concert in central Yerevan just this past January, drawing significant local attention.
Beyond his group performances, Pashinyan has cultivated a public reputation as an avid music fan with wide-ranging tastes, frequently sharing clips of himself listening to tracks on his personal Instagram account. His public playlists have run the gamut from mainstream pop superstar Taylor Swift to top American hip-hop acts including Travis Scott and A$AP Rocky, highlighting his eclectic appreciation for modern global popular music.