Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced the launch of his own music band and plans to stage its first live performance in the capital Yerevan later this month, in a move that has drawn widespread attention on social media.

Pashinyan said the band, named Varchaband, would make its debut on January 30, with the venue still to be disclosed. The name Varchaband is a play on words, combining the first syllables of the Armenian word for “prime minister” with the English word “band”.

The prime minister has shared short videos on Facebook and Telegram showing preparations for the performance. 

Interest in the prime minister’s musical activities emerged last year after Armenian media reported that Pashinyan and his wife, Anna Hakobyan, had begun taking music lessons, including learning to play the guitar and drums.

Pashinyan has led Armenia since 2018, coming to power after the so-called Velvet Revolution on an anti-corruption platform. His popularity, however, declined following Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 war with Azerbaijan and the subsequent loss of control over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan improved after a White House-hosted peace summit in August 2025, but domestic political tensions remain high. 

Critics accuse him of making excessive concessions to Azerbaijan, a sensitive issue ahead of parliamentary elections due in 2026.

Pashinyan has also been embroiled in an increasingly public dispute with the Armenian Apostolic Church, which has criticised his policies and leadership.