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By Syune Arakelyan
Dreams never end, even when time runs out, says Van (Nemra) Yeghiazaryan, the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter of the Nemra band. For Van and the other members of Nemra, meeting Serj Tankian was a dream come true, and as they say, if you can dream, then you can achieve it. Nemra's dream not only came true, but also exceeded all expectations. Tankian himself once expressed his admiration for the band, and today the group has released a duet with the world-famous musician. “I’m Afraid of Stars” is the name of the song written by Van. How,? where? when?… In an interview with NEWS.am STYLE, Van answered to all these questions and started from the very beginning!
Discovering Rock Through System of a Down
“There’s a moment in life when everything changes, when you discover something that completely alters the way you see the world. For my brother Vaspur (the bassist of Nemra) and me, that moment came when we first heard System of a Down,” Van recalls.
Growing up in a small town with limited exposure to rock music, they never imagined the impact it would have on their future. But one day, while visiting their cousins, Van and Vaspur stumbled upon a live video of the song “Psycho” from the 2002 Big Day Out festival in Australia. That performance electrified them. As Van describes, “It wasn’t just music—it was raw energy, rebellion, and artistry, all rolled into one. From that moment on, we were hooked.”
They became die-hard fans, listening to their songs day and night. “Every riff, every lyric, and every chaotic burst of sound became a part of us. At the time, our world was small, and information was hard to come by. Every new fact we learned about the band felt like uncovering a treasure. By the time we discovered them, System of a Down had already gone on hiatus. In a way, we were lucky to miss that heartbreak firsthand, but it was bittersweet to think we’d never get to experience the excitement of waiting for a new album or seeing them live as an active band.
The band members continued to be active and pursue solo carriers so we dived into Serj’s and Daron’s solo projects, embracing their individuality. It was both inspiring and a little painful, knowing they were creating separately. Over time, though, their solo albums became just as important to us—works of art that stood on their own.”
When they finally got internet access, a whole new world opened up before the brothers. They were spending hours watching live shows and interviews, learning about the band members, and connecting with other fans. “System of a Down wasn’t just a band to us,” Van says, “they became the reason we picked up instruments, wrote songs, and dreamed of standing on stage ourselves.
For us, no other band had the same impact after System of a Down—except The Beatles. Funny enough, in our timeline, System of a Down came before The Beatles!”
Van and Vaspur have developed a passion for music at a very young age, starting with the violin. As they grew older and it came time to pursue higher education and choose a profession, they made decisions that seemed more practical, despite their deep love for music. Van earned a degree in economics, while Vaspur graduated with a degree in radiophysics.
“During our university years, our desire to form a band and create original music only grew stronger. System of a Down played a significant role in inspiring us.
At that time, neither of us knew how to play the guitar, and I never imagined I would sing—I was far too shy. But our love for music and our drive to create something original quickly overcame all our insecurities.
It was during this time that we met Marianna, our keyboard player, who introduced us to her brother Marek, our drummer, and thus, the story of Nemra began.”
System of a Down’s Concert in Yerevan
The future Nemra stars had always dreamt that System of a Down might reunite and one day come to Armenia. But they didn’t have much hope.
“The first time we felt a glimmer of that possibility was when Serj Tankian came for a solo concert. That was a big deal, even though the sound, the hall, and the technical setup left something to be desired. Later, when Serj returned for TUMO’s opening, everything was much better. But even then, the audience seemed to lack awareness of Serj’s art. It was frustrating for us as true fans when people kept shouting ‘Hay Aghjik’ (a good song written and performed by Elon Sarafian) throughout the concert. They thought it was Serj’s song, because someone had uploaded the song with Serj’s picture on YouTube.
Anyway, we still enjoyed the concert, and it had a big influence on us.”
Finally, years later, in 2025, the long-awaited System of a Down concert happened. Van describes it as one of the most iconic, powerful, and meaningful shows in the history of rock.
A few days before the concert, they went to Zvartnots Yerevan Airport to welcome the band members.
“First, we met Shavo, who was very nice and down to earth. It seemed like we were meeting our long-lost brother.
The next day, we greeted Daron, who was being Daron—the person we adored. We started singing “Soldier Side” for him. We sang so badly that it seemed like he wanted to run away as soon as possible! (he laughs). He swiftly entered the car, waving to us as he left. A friend did manage to hand him a CD with a couple of our earliest demo tracks—I really hope he didn’t listen to them!
Unfortunately, we missed the chance to welcome Serj and John because someone had given us the wrong time for their arrival.”
On the day of the concert, Van and btother arrived early to get as close to the stage as possible. As evening came, it started to rain heavily. Then suddenly the lights turned on and the magic began. “We sang along with System in the rain, tears blending with raindrops. After the concert, for a whole month, the city felt like it belonged to us. Rock was everywhere. Those were unforgettable days. Of course, eventually, things went back to normal-I mean bad.”
Serj Tankian Discovers Nemra’s Music
In 2025, during the most challenging and somber period of the COVID pandemic, Nemra continued releasing new records and videos, despite the heavy atmosphere, particularly in Armenia.
After an event organized by Creative Armenia, where Serj was also a participant, Nemra’s members had the opportunity to ask him some questions. They also sent him a recording of their song “Nare” (which is a rendition of an Armenian folk song) and their “Hmm” album, which includes 11 original songs in English.
“To our surprise, Serj responded, saying he liked our “Hmm” album and would definitely listen to it during the lockdown. Not a word about “Nare”, which had millions of views. This made us even happier because it showed that our original work resonated with him.”
Later, Nemra released the single “She’s Beautiful”, “A song we loved but felt disappointed by the audience’s lukewarm response. I even joked with my bandmates, saying, “It’s been nice knowing you. I’m going to sleep for a very long time.”
The next morning, everything changed. Serj shared “She’s Beautiful” on Facebook, calling us a “Cool band from Armenia.” Later, he also shared “Daisy”. It was an incredible validation for us during a critical period.”
Meeting Serj for the First Time
The band first met Serj during the Starmus Festival, where they performed on the same stage.
“During our performance, while playing the solo for “Connection Lost,” I noticed Serj standing next to the stage. At that moment, I couldn’t help but think, I wish he were listening from the front, because we probably sounded terrible from where he was standing.
After our set, as we were leaving the stage, Sir Brian May high-fived and hugged us, congratulating us on our performance. It was a huge moment—meeting him felt like we were in a movie. Then Serj approached us, greeting us as if he’d known us for years. It felt like meeting an old friend, but at the same time, we were overwhelmed by the moment.
I remember we were talking, but I can’t recall exactly what, as it was noisy, and there were a lot of people around.
There was a desire to take a photo together, but we didn’t want to overwhelm Serj. We thought we’d keep it professional and not bother him unnecessarily. Then, out of nowhere, Serj said, “Shouldn’t we take a photo together?” That moment was so memorable and meant a lot to us.”
Dreams Come True When You Chase Them
“To say that collaborating with Serj was a dream is to say nothing. That’s why I shared this story from the beginning—to illustrate just how far we’ve come to make this collaboration a reality,” Van explains.
The band mates wanted to ask Serj about collaborating for years, but weren’t sure if he’d be interested. “It wasn’t a matter of doubting our songs; we only record and perform what we believe to be our best. But we wondered why such a legend would dedicate time to us.
While recording our third album (which we’re gonna release next year), we had a few songs that seemed perfect for Serj’s voice. Reading his book “Down with the system” I noticed similarities between their journey and ours—musically, personally, even in our ancestors’ histories. That gave me the clarity to finally reach out.”
Finally, after much deliberation, Van wrote to him.
“I tried to keep it brief, introducing everything as concisely as possible. I sent a few songs with their instrumental tracks and mentioned that I thought “I’m Afraid of Stars” would be the best option. I sent the email, expecting that, if I got a response at all, it would take at least a week.
But Serj, in yet another display of greatness, responded in just a few hours. It was the only email that took hours and not just a few minutes, because, as he later said, he had listened to all the songs multiple times.”
Serj’s response was one of the most impactful moments of Nemra’s musical journey. Van says was amazed and inspired the most about the fact, that Serj not only had appreciated their work, but also singled out his guitar playing and songwriting.
“He wrote, “Music is all about co-inspiring. I’ve always loved your vibe as a songwriter and guitar playing as well. There is something familiar in it for me, not just culturally but aesthetically. I’m honored you would ask me to collaborate on a song with you. I’ve listened to them all multiple times, and ‘I’m Afraid Of Stars’ resonates the most with me, as you aptly predicted.”
That was an incredible honor—and, incidentally, the first time anyone had acknowledged me as an individual guitarist.”
Serj agreed to collaborate on “I’m Afraid of Stars” but mentioned that he was busy at the time and suggested they revisit the project a month later.
“Our happiness was immeasurable. We were overjoyed but had no idea how we were going to wait that long. That very night, at 4 a.m., I received an email. Serj had sent audio files. I played them, and there it was: Serj Tankian singing a song I had written. The entire track was already recorded, including separate backing vocals.
Honestly, I was sure I was dreaming—I wanted to keep sleeping just to make it last longer. But the dream didn’t end… as they say, the rest is history.
I remember listening to it on my phone at home when my mom said, “You started to sound a lot like Serj Tankian. It’s as if he’s singing it himself!”
The Most Exciting Period Began
After that, the real work started: online collaborations on the recording, revisions, mixing, and staying in constant contact with Serj.
“Finally, we achieved what we wanted—the final version was perfect for all of us. A huge part of this success belongs to Levon Hakverdyan, who beautifully crafted the orchestral sections and handled the overall mix and mastering. Levon, our dear friend, is someone we’ve worked with since recording the Hmm album, as well as all the singles released since.”
Planning the Music Video
“Once the recording was complete, we had to think about how to present the song. Fortunately, we had a concert scheduled in Los Angeles at the Alex Theatre, along with several other shows in the US. I reached out to Serj to see if he would be open to the idea of organizing a music video shoot during that time, and he was fully on board.”
Then came the hardest part: organizing everything from Armenia. Van says, they didn’t have many connections in the U.S. within that field, and were pressed for time.
“Our dear friend, director Arthur Manukyan, came to the rescue. From here, he organized the entire video shoot, coming up with concepts that aligned perfectly with the song’s theme.
We were performing in several cities across the U.S. and needed to return to Yerevan quickly for the Erebuni-Yerevan concert. Everything had to align perfectly—for us, Serj, and the film crew.”
Working With Serj
Collaborating with Serj, according to Van, was an absolute pleasure. “He is meticulous, clear, and highly professional. There wasn’t a single moment where we felt uncomfortable. Serj was always considerate and made the process smooth for us, and we were in awe of his humility and punctuality.
It was incredibly rewarding to work with someone of his caliber, and the experience was invaluable for us.
On the day of the shoot, the only thing I regretted was having to turn toward the camera and perform the song. There was so much I wanted to talk about with Serj, but we had no time. We were flying back to Yerevan the next day and needed to get everything done. Still, we managed to share a few laughs, crack some jokes, and enjoy ourselves.”
“I’m Afraid of Stars”
Van wrote this song a few years ago.
Like “Hmm” and a few other songs he was overwhelmed with emotions while writing it.
“I composed both the music and the lyrics simultaneously. This is one of those rare songs where I wrote the music on the piano, and it’s the only recording where I played the piano instead of Marianna.
The song is about the fleeting nature of time and unfulfilled dreams. Time takes everything from us—everything we believe we own. But in reality, that clock exists only in our minds, and we are the ones who decide how to use it.
There were some fascinating coincidences with the song’s lyrics. For example, when I wrote it, I never imagined it would be presented as a duet. Yet the final verse feels like it was written specifically for a duet—a conversation between two friends.”
“Reaching for the Stars”
This entire journey—from the moment they first heard System of a Down to collaborating with Serj Tankian himself—has been nothing short of extraordinary for the band. As Van says, It’s a story of dreams, persistence, and the power of music to connect souls across time and space.
“I’m Afraid of Stars is not just a song; it’s a culmination of everything we’ve lived, loved, and believed in. It carries the echoes of a childhood spent dreaming, the lessons of countless challenges, and the joy of reaching for the stars—even when we were afraid of them.
To collaborate with Serj, whose music shaped our love for rock and inspired us to create, feels like completing a circle we started drawing long ago. Yet, this isn’t the end—it’s just the beginning of something greater.
As the song makes its way into the world, we hope it inspires others the way System of a Down inspired us. We hope it reminds people that no dream is too far, no star too distant.
And for those who might feel the weight of time and the fear of the unknown, we hope this song offers comfort. Because even when the clock is ticking, even when the stars feel out of reach, it’s the pursuit of dreams that makes us timeless…”.
Lyrics: I’m afraid of stars
I'm afraid of stars
They're gonna fall someday
I'm afraid of light
It can burn my eyes
I'm afraid of dust
In our hearts
I'm afraid of time
It takes what's mine
Time is over now
But dreams are not over yet
I found the real sinner
The clock inside
Inside my head
I'm dying now again.
Though I died a million times
I’m really tired of it
I can hear my heart is beating fast
I'm a total loser
Though I've won the hardest fights
Now I wanna sleep
But I'm afraid I won't wake up
Time is over now
But dreams are not over yet
I found the real sinner
The clocks inside
Inside our heads
I do believe in love
Though it hurts
We don't wanna feel
We just forget to use our hearts
You can pray to God
And ask him to take your side
You, people, hate so much
You can't hide your face behind your mask
Time is over now
But dreams are not over yet
I found the real sinner
The clocks inside
Inside our heads
Time is over now
But dreams are not over yet
I found the real sinner
The clocks inside
Inside our heads
It's so easy to die
It's hard to live this life
Let's kill death my friend
Let's sing this song to stay alive
‘Cause time is over now
But dreams are not over yet
I found the real sinner
The clocks inside
Inside our heads