Adiss Harmandian (; 14 January 1945 – 1 September 2019) was a
Lebanese-
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...
pop singer.
Early life
Harmandian was born Avedis Harmandian on 14 January 1945 in
Beirut
Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...
,
Lebanon
Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
from both parents being
Armenian genocide
The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily t ...
survivors. His stage name Adiss is a derivative of his given name.
Career
His career began in the 1960s, and his first single was the song "Dzaghigner" (), which quickly gained popularity among Lebanese and
diaspora Armenians.
Harmandian is considered a pioneer of the ''estradayin'' genre of
Armenian music. Songs in the genre, such as Harmandian's own "Nouné" () or "Karoun Karoun" () are primarily sung in Armenian, and were influential in the formation of Armenian identity in Lebanon, the Middle East and throughout the
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...
.10
Harmandian has released 40 albums and around 400 songs and has received numerous awards, both abroad and in
Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
.
During the
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War ( ) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 150,000 fatalities and led to the exodus of almost one million people from Lebanon.
The religious diversity of the ...
, Harmandian emigrated to the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and resided in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
,
CA.
He became one of the most influential figures in Armenian music and the pioneer the estradayin musical genre.
His efforts countered foreign influences during these challenging times and strengthened Armenian identity within the diaspora. His musical legacy has had a lasting impact, influencing generations of Armenian artists.
Throughout his career, Harmandian received numerous awards and accolades in recognition of his significant contributions to Armenian culture. In 2005, he was awarded the prestigious St. Mesrob Mashdots Medal by the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. That same year, he also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Armenian Music Awards, honoring his lifelong dedication to promoting Armenian music and heritage.
Death
He died on 1 September 2019 at the age of 74 in
UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, after a long 15-year fight with cancer.
Adiss Harmandian 1945-2019
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References
External links
Adiss Harmandian on MySpaceAdiss Harmandian page on armenianmusic.com
1945 births
20th-century Lebanese male singers
Musicians from Beirut
Lebanese people of Armenian descent
Lebanese emigrants to the United States
American people of Armenian descent
2019 deaths
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