Gaya Arutyunian is best known as the fantastic vocalist of the Moscow-based music group Deti Picasso „Children of Picasso”. Gaya sings in Russian and Armenian, astounding the public with the feeling and expression of her performance. Ancient Armenian chants blend with new forms of guitar Brit pop, with a similarly interesting, if not so ancient, history: the 60's, Blur and Radiohead...

At her concerts the club crowds reach a state of ecstasy - they sing along with Gaya, repeating like incantatios the words of songs in an unknown, ancient language.

For Gaya her Armenian origin is of great importance: "When I sing Armenian folk songs I feel the centuries-old history and traditions. It's very natural for me because it seems to me that some songs in Russian are like throwaway goods, because they have got no roots. On the other hand, we are not strong enough to establish roots."

"Deti Picasso" appeared in 1999 when it released its first mini-album "Inoye Veshcestvo" (Another Substance) of 5 songs in Russian. Very expressive female vocals backed with transparent guitar music combined with soft violin sound and extraordinary simple kind music alternated with doom and rough psychedelic tunes. 

But "Deti" has acquired its extraordinary zest with the unexpected help of the one music magazine, which published the information that the band played "Armenian songs". At the moment "Deti" were not even going to perform any Armenian music, but the band leaders - brother and sister Karen and Gaya Arutyunian thought: "Why not?" And made their public appearance with Armenian folk dance songs. No wonder that "Deti" won a warm acclaim of the audience, which was far from being Armeinan but nevertheless rocked to the strange new words - "Sona Yar, sona yar!" and was petrified by the praying oriental woman's voice which repeated "Give me wine this night, I'm pining this night". It was emotional, fresh and it had the drive! 

She brings together 2 streams: Moscow club and Armenian folk cultures. Her sound is very fresh, original, extraordinary and captivatingly sincere.