They became refugees when the Ottoman Army invaded northwestern Iran during the First World War.

Hovhannes attended the local Armenian school in Baghdad, and in 1936 he returned to Iran where he started singing in Nicol Galanderian's choir.

After World War II, Badalyan, then age 22, left Iran for Soviet Armenia, where he attended the Romanos Melikian Music College in Yerevan.

In 1948, he joined the Folk Music Instruments Ensemble of Armenian Public Radio as a soloist.

Badalyan performed across the Soviet Union and the Middle East and on many world stages from Europe, Australia, Canada, and the US.