Lena Chamamyan: The Assyrian–Armenian singer-songwriter blending East and West
Born to an Armenian father and an Assyrian mother, the famous singer grew up with a split identity.
Assyrian–Armenian singer-songwriter Lena Chamamyan has established herself as a unique artist with a unique voice. Her music is known for its fusion of Arabic and Armenian folk songs together with Western classical music and modern styles, such as jazz.
Chamamyan was born in Syria to an Armenian father and an Assyrian mother. She is much more well known by her Armenian roots, as her father's side is Armenian Catholic originally from Marash (modern day Kahramanmaraş, Turkey). Chamamyan’s Assyrian side is originally from Mardin, and during her childhood, she sang in the choir of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Her maternal grandmother made her interested in music as she taught traditional Armenian music and classical songs, while her father was a saxophonist.
Lena grew up with her identity split between her father's and her mother's community. As a child, she attended an Armenian Catholic school in the old city of Damascus, where she has stated that she had a hard time finding her place, as the children considered her only half-Armenian
She has spoken about her childhood as a child of a mixed marriage, saying: “In winter I sang in the Armenian church and in summer in the Syriac church. Today, when they ask me about my identity, I answer ‘Songs, words, and dreams’.”
