Fresh from bashing opponents, Pashinyan to beat drums in upcoming concert

On 30 January, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will host his first disco event as a drummer, after taking up drumming in what appears to be a new hobby following his already well-known passion for cycling.

In a social media post on 16 January, Pashinyan announced the date of the event, as well as shared a link for registration.

‘As I hinted, I invite you to the dance floor. We play, you dance’, Pashinyan said.

Clarifying that the event will take place in Yerevan, Pashinyan added that the  ‘exact location’ would be disclosed later.

Four days later, on Tuesday, Pashinyan announced that they had to stop the registration of the guests, noting that the number of expected attendees was ‘at least seven times higher’ than they had anticipated. The organizers have also changed the initially planned hall to accommodate all registered guests.

Aside from the organisational issues, Pashinyan further mentioned that at the moment he is not ‘psychologically ready’ to perform for large audiences. However, he noted that in case the concert is a success, they will continue hosting such events across Armenia.

Drumming appears to be a new passion for Pashinyan, judging by his social media posts. Beyond official announcements, he regularly shares glimpses of his daily life online, including his hobbies.

IN RECENT MONTHS, PASHINYAN HAS SHARED SHORT VIDEOS OF HIMSELF LISTENING TO A VARIETY OF MUSIC IN LOCATIONS RANGING FROM HIS HOME AND OFFICE IN YEREVAN TO HOTELS IN DIFFERENT CAPITALS HE VISITS. HIS PLAYLISTS SPAN FROM ARMENIAN FOLK MUSIC TO EMINEM. MANY OF THE VIDEOS HAVE GONE VIRAL, ATTRACTING SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION FROM BOTH INSIDE THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD.

Pashinyan’s apparently newfound affinity for the drums is not just limited to his personal life — his hobby also has spilled over into politics.

In a video shared on 27 December, Pashinyan and other musicians performed a song with lyrics he wrote, entitled ‘Real Armenia, the Republic of Armenia’, at a political assembly of his ruling Civil Contract party.

Real Armenia is a concept developed by Pashinyan and his government, insisting that Armenians must accept modern Armenia within its current borders.

Pashinyan has previously written several poems. A lyric he dedicated to his march in 2018, which eventually led to the Armenian Velvet Revolution, became an anthem of the protests.

In a consecutive video again showing him playing on drums on 31 December, he wished ‘a happy, rhythm-filled New Year’.

Pashinyan hinted at his intention of hosting a disco event last week, alongside sharing a video again showing him drumming with what appeared to be the same  band with whom he performed in his party’s event last December.

Following this, Pashinyan keeps showing their rehearsals in short video format.

Pashinyan has taken up the drums as Armenia heads to its major parliamentary elections in June 2026, a move that has reminded many of another Armenian Prime Minister — Karen Karapetyan, who appeared in a music video for the then-ruling Republican Party’s election campaign song in 2017.

Prior to the upcoming concert, Pashinyan used to host bicycle rides in Armenia. Continuing the tradition, Pashinyan still occasionally shares videos of himself cycling, including in various countries during his visits.

At the height of his cycling enthusiasm, in September 2024, the Armenian government donated bicycles to secondary schools and colleges ahead of an upcoming cycling tournament later that month.