As the curtains gave way to the first rays of morning sunshine, the aroma of Armenian coffee — soorj — filled my parents’ bedroom. Subtle tunes of chanson followed. Inseparable from those childhood memories are the songs by my French-educated mother’s idol, Charles Aznavour. Attended by the current and former French presidents, as well as the Armenian political and religious elite, the remembrance ceremony of the Maestro took place on Oct. 5 in the Les Invalides museum complex in Paris.

Cherished as the “French Frank Sinatra,” Aznavour was born in Paris in 1924 to parents who were refugees of the Armenian Genocide. He became involved with the arts at the early age of nine; first as an actor, then as writer and songwriter. In the 1940s, he wrote songs for Edith Piaf and worked as her secretary. However, his actual breakthrough happened in 1956, when on an Iberian and North African tour, the director of “Moulin Rouge!” noticed and signed him in a Marrakech casino.

In its tribute to Aznavour, the New York Times reminds us of a story from the artist’s 1979 autobiographical song, Yesterday When I Was Young. “Mr. Aznavour recalled a Brussels promoter who had ignored him for years and was now offering him a contract. He offered 4,000 francs. Mr. Aznavour asked for 8,000. The promoter refused. The next year, he offered 16,000. “Not enough,” replied Mr. Aznavour, now a major star. “I want more than you pay Piaf.” Piaf was then making 30,000 francs. Again the promoter refused. The next year, he gave in. “How much more than Piaf do you want?” he asked. “One franc,” Mr. Aznavour said. “After that I was able to tell my friends I was better paid than Piaf.”

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s the chansonnier’s popularity continued growing as he sold out shows all around the world, including at the grandiose Carnegie Hall in New York and the Royal Albert Hall in London. Aznavour scored his first UK No. 1 with his song titled She, embracing the euphoric gift of love:

“Me, I’ll take her laughter and her tears And make them all my souvenirs For where she goes I’ve got to be The meaning of my life is she”

These iconic lines were featured in Roger Michell’s film Notting Hill, yet Aznavour was not the traditional Parisian poet of love. He pushed boundaries and gave his audience the wings of freedom. What Makes a Man was Aznavour’s first nouvelle chanson piece, which explored the subject of homosexuality, through a young man living with his widowed mother, performing in a bar, dreaming of his love and crime:

“I know my life is not a crime I'm just a victim of my time I stand defenseless Nobody has the right to be The judge of what is right for me”

In a 2015 interview with The Guardian the artist said, “It’s a kind of sickness I have, talking about things you’re not supposed to talk about. I started with homosexuality and I wanted to break every taboo … My entourage at the time advised against it since it could possibly damage my image. But I decided otherwise and took my chance because I felt strongly about this subject and I had to take a stand.”

Throughout his life, Aznavour remained true to his Armenian heritage. He established and contributed to philanthropic missions following the disastrous 1988 earthquake that devastated Gyumri, the second largest city in Armenia. Aznavour wrote the iconic song Pour l’Arménie to raise funds for post-earthquake disaster relief. The movement united many popular French artists and showmen of the time in spreading awareness of the disastrous event.

The artist’s contribution to his homeland did not stop after the Pour l’Arménie campaign. He went on to become Armenia’s ambassador to Switzerland and representative to the UN in Geneva and UNESCO. Recently, he dedicated his house in Yerevan to establishing a public cultural hub for music engineering and chanson.

On Oct. 7, the annual La Francophonie Summit will be held in Yerevan. The event will be attended by honored guests and high-ranking officials of all member-states, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron. People from all around the francophone world will join the Armenians in celebrating their fight for liberal values and the memory of Charles Aznavour. The gala concert, scheduled on Oct. 11, will feature Celine Dion, who undoubtedly will pay a grand tribute to Aznavour.

During the remembrance ceremony in Paris, Macron noted, “For so many decades, [Aznavour] has made our life sweeter, our tears less bitter.”

So the next time you prepare your cup of coffee, or enjoy the last few rays of sunshine diving into Abu Dhabi’s blurred horizon, play the chansonnier’s masterpieces and indulge yourself with Parisian romance and Armenian passion. Charles Aznavour is not among us anymore but his music, accompanying us through our personal tragedies and celebrations, will live on forever in our hearts.