YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. "Today the Armenian art of singing has lost its face, as all singers are singing either about denied love or khachkars (cross-stones). And all TV companies are showing monotonous video clips shot on the basis of those songs and therefore, promote distorted culture," author of songs Ruben Hakhverdian said this at a meeting held at the Hayeli (Mirror) club on September 3. In his words, unfortunately, representatives of "show business" receive financial assistance from official circles or oligarches, and it is the Armenian art of singing that first of all suffers as a result of this. And the RA Ministry of Culture, according to R. Hakhverdian, is not able to control the TV air, "and if this situation continues, we will lose our language and culture soon." Another participant of the meeting, singer Anna Mayilian, considers that not real values are appreciated in Armenia due to lack of state mentality, therefore, the best artists "are left out and have to leave the homeland." According to the singer, if there is state mentality, the Armenian culture will develop not only inside the country, but will also go out to the international arena.

---