Paper short abstract:

Two songs, rather new to Georgia and Armenia, have become so popular to the countries' audiences that they can be considered as unofficial hymns. Both compositions feature folk elements, fusing these with diverse popular music trends. In my paper these two songs will be analyzed holistically.

Paper long abstract:

Two songs, rather new to the nations of Georgia and Armenia, have become so popular to the countries' audiences that they can be taken as perfect illustrations regarding the creation of unofficial hymns - using aesthetic as well as verbal and visual means.

Both original compositions feature Georgian respectively Armenian folk elements, fusing these with diverse popular music trends. Thus the songs - namely Zumba's "Gamarjoba Abkhazeto" and the Arshakyan sisters' "Menq Enq Mer Sarere" - can be traced aesthetically.

Their impact on society though, and the background to their popularity cannot be elucidated without examining the songs holistically:

Where and why have they been produced? What aspects do their lyrics and their nowadays so popular music videos highlight?

In order to do these songs in particular, and musical anthropology in general justice we have to return to a key concept of anthropology: toward the holistic approach.