It is the fifth year that Armenia participates in the Eurovision song competition, and almost every year the name of the participant is made public before the voting can be organized or the song can be selected.
The Eurovision is a song competition but in Armenia it is accepted as a top point of a singer’s career, and a proof for having powerful contacts and sponsors. If a singer goes to compete with Europeans, this singer gets the right to say that he/she had to do it and did indeed. However, this year the competition is going to be hard in Oslo and even a strong and serious competition has been originated in the first phase of the competition in Armenia. We can even say that it is a fight between Emmi and Eva Rivas, and even with Razmik Amyan, who is considered to be the favorite of the year. These are the main three singers who are working to demonstrate their skills and talent during the competition to take place on February 8 on the air of the H1. They have better chances than the other seven participants. Emmi, singer and producer Nadezhda Sargsyan’s daughter, will sing the “Hey” song with the world famous dancer Mihran Kirakosyan and his dance group. Emmi’s mother is using the contacts she has achieved during all her career and does her best to lobby for Emmi’s song. As for Eva Rivas, who was born in Doni Rostov, she enjoys the sponsorship and support of the owner of Tashir group Samvel Karapetyan. On the one hand we have huge connections and lobby, on the other hand we have huge financial support. By the way, the factor of money is very important because the singer from Doni Rostov is a medium class singer and is not so famous in Armenia.
Razmik Amyan can hardly resist the competition of these two girls, even rumors say he wanted to give up to boycott but changed his mind. Even Razmik Amyan had a serious conflict with the H1 because he started to cooperate with Armenia TV and the H1 did not like it. Even the singer decided to sing the song for the Eurovision for the first time not on the air of the H1 but Armenia TV, and of course the national TV company did not like this idea.
The songs prepared for the Eurovision 2010 are not known yet but it is evident that the competition is going to be difficult and it will be hard for people to make a choice between these three songs.
When one listens to Razmik Amyan’s song it is hard to say which Eastern country he represents because the “My Love” song written by Vahram Petrosyan is a mix of Indian and Arabic bits. It is a very happy, meaningless and standard song. Razmik’s accent and English are so bad that it would be a good decision not to send his song to Oslo.
Emmi’s and Mihran’s perforation hardly can be called a song because it is very rhythmic and lacks melodies. When one listens to this song waits to see when the real song is going to start. In the end of the song you understand that it is not a song but a good dance performance. Emmi and Mihran have numerously said that they have prepared several songs for this purpose.
The “Apricot stone” song, which was written by composer Armen Martirosyan for Emmi, is definitely the most interesting song. It is hard to say that the eclectic apricot stone is a hit.
Certainly all the three singers have their styles and appearances. Razmik and Emmi have very good voice too, but the Eurovision competition of this year comes to highlight the lack and crisis of national songs. We have singers, but we don’t have songs, and what is more important, we don’t have meaningful songs.
The best songs will be selected according to the 50/50 principle based on the SMS voting and the votes of the jury.
The chief producer of the H1 Hrach Keshishyan says the competition will be tense as the main 3 competitors have both good and bad sides. He advises the Armenian audience not to focus on these 3 songs only but to pay attention to the other 7 songs as well. Maybe it is worth having a fresh look at the new songs and voting for the best. At least let’s hope the voting will be fair.