Boris Arkadyevich Davidyan (better known by his stage name Boka) is a Soviet, Azerbaijani, and Armenian singer-songwriter. He was born in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, USSR, to Armenian parents. His father, Arkady Vartanovich, was a veteran of World War II and worked as a factory foreman. His mother, Margarita Artemovna, was a biologist. Boka lost his mother early in life. He was interested in music from childhood and graduated from music school. He studied and received a diploma from the Tashkent Automobile and Road Institute. In 1972, he recorded his first album in Baku. During the Soviet era, he became a popular soloist among chanson lovers. Most of his albums were his own compositions, although he also sang compositions by Vladimir Vysotsky and Arkady Severny. He performed his songs with a distinctive oriental flair. Some sources call him a ...