«When I understand that someone needs help, I am there…»

Tarologist Aida Martirosyan has won the hearts of Russian TV viewers

The reality show “Последний герой” (Survivor), launched on Russia’s First Channel in the early 2000s, was revived years ago when TV-3 decided to shoot new seasons. In the first of those seasons, psychics competed against actors. It was during that season that, for the first time in history a reality show had an Armenian participant, tarologist Aida Martirosyan. The latter was so popular with TV viewers that two years later, in 2021, she took part in a new season, “Champions vs. Newcomers”, as viewers, along with these 7 participants, voted for the 38-year-old Armenian woman.

After the shooting of the “Survivor” (“Последний герой”)  reality show, Aida Martirosyan visited her birthplace, Gyumri, for a short time. It was during that time that WomenNet.am had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with the Armenian star of the Russian TV channel.

– Aida, many of the followers of “Survivor” consider you not only a strong participant, but also expected that you would win. You are also a professional diver, you have good physical training. However, you failed to win in both seasons. What prevented it?

– If you want to reach the end and win in “Survivor”, you have to change your principles and character, including showing cunning and dishonesty. But I decided to stay as I was or not to betray my principles. That project changes people a lot, as soon as we reach the island, people change very quickly. But my relatives, who know me and watched the show, were not disappointed with me. I entered the game according to my principles and I came out the same.

– Your teammates in the last season did not like the fact that you took on the role of leader or took on too much work on the island. Are you like that in life? Does it bother you?

– Activity is not leadership yet, I did not show leadership qualities in the game, I was just trying to help everyone. According to my Caucasian character, when I understand that someone needs help, I am there. In Russia, people around me perceive it as leadership. I do not dispute that I have special qualities of a leader, but I have not shown them. It is simply very difficult to be on the island in the company of strangers, to adapt to each other. Some adapt, some adhere to their principles.

– You are the first and yet last Armenian to take part in the reality show “Survivor”. Were there situations when your teammates inappropriately mentioned your nationality, unfair treatment or discrimination on that basis?

– No, neither in the first nor in this season there was no discrimination against me. I love my homeland very much and I emphasize my nationality more during interviews or filming, of course, many things are left out of the air as a result of editing. But for example, when I was competing with someone individually, my teammates shouted “C’mon, for Armenia”, knowing well that it motivates me the most, because I am very patriotic.

– By the way, about patriotism ․ During the war in Artsakh you were actively spreading information about Armenia on social networks. Have you tried to use your fame to form a pro-Armenian position in Russia?

– No, I do not pursue such a goal. You will not find anything on my page that will refer to the relations between Armenia and Russia, politics, because I understand that it is meaningless. I did what I could do. I sent help, but you will not find information about it anywhere. What you do, you do for your soul, not to advertise yourself. What happened in my country hurts me a lot, it is especially painful that peaceful people suffer the most, the population mourns.

– You were 14 years old when your family moved to Russia. Before that, people in Gyumri had heard about your abilities, they used to turn to you at a young age to predict their future. Was that a reason for you to leave Gyumri and Armenia?

– There were several reasons, including that. Quite a number of people were interested, they came to our house, stood in line. My mother, of course, did not like it because I was a small child, I had to go to school and get an education. And we moved.

– Didn’t your mother in Russia mind her daughter making predictions?

– I did not make predictions, I started doing it when I was an adult and an independent person. Before that I got a higher education in criminal law, after which I started working  not in my profession. My current knowledge is the result of many years of work and experience, due to which my predictions are accurate today. I realized that I was doing very well, that in addition to knowing the tarot cards, I had the ability inherited from my grandfather, which works very well.

– In fact, divination is not only a grace, but also the result of hard work?

“Tarot is like that.” You have to be able to read it, it is a rather complicated system, not everyone can actually delve into this process. I have met many people who make predictions with  cards, but they do not understand anything about it.

– You talked about your personal life. Information was spread on the Internet that you are going to marry a Lebanese. However, during one of your recent interviews, you said that you were divorced because he was trying to persuade you to convert. Is religion so important to you?

– Religion is of fundamental importance to me. Sadly, after our engagement, much changed in his mind about religion. We agreed from the beginning that we would not discuss our religious differences, we would accept each other as we are. But after a while his attitude changed,, I realized that if now, when we are not married, such problems arise, what will happen when we get married. And I decided that we should break up and just be friends.

– What new TV programs should we expect from Aida Martirosyan?

– I have a new project, which we will launch soon on YouTube. Two more projects will be aired on TV-3, where I will act as a tarologist-host. One has been confirmed, we are waiting for a sponsor, the second is still in the approval stage.

– Do you intend to launch any project in Armenia?

– By communicating with me, you also became clairvoyant (smiling). I have an idea, I want to start a project in Armenia, we have already bought the copyrights, but I am still thinking how to do it. I need a team here to do that.

– In other words, is it possible that we will see Aida Martirosyan on one of the Armenian TV channels in the future?

– In the future it is possible that you will see the “Survivor” reality show in Armenia. It is enough to find a TV channel that will be ready to show it.

Arman Gharibyan