DISCLAIMER: All opinions stated in this post belong to the person quoted and do not represent ESCUNITED as a whole.
Armenia has officially released the 12 artists competing in this year’s Depi Evratesil, and instead of having to listen to all of their entries yourself, you can just rely on some of our editing team for their opinions. Trust us, it’s for your benefit.
Alexandros, David, Emma, and Rebecca sat down and took the time to review and rate all of the entries. Let’s see who they think should be representing Armenia in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
1. Flora Bichakhchyan – “Prayer”, AVG: 6.125
David – 4
“Alright, I guess this one is alright as it is. I’m absolutely not a fan of this very HEAVY religious text, but Flora delivers it with some attitude and style and the music is quite enjoyable, upbeat mixed with local Armenian vibes, and even has some Armenian as well in it. In the end, it’s the lyrics that pull the song down the most.”
Emma – 4
“The instrumentation is fabulous, but I don’t get the style of her singing at all. Is she talking? Definitely not rapping. And then the high note and then all of that just ten times faster. It’s a rollercoaster, but not in a good way? I’m not really a fan of this.”
Alexandros – 8
“I absolutely adore the ethnic style of this song. I believe it has the potential to be a huge hit in Eurovision. With more listens, it’s easy to get addicted to it. I also appreciate that she incorporated Armenian in the chorus and English in the verses, which provides a glimpse into the song’s theme. And let’s not forget her impressive vocals, which are spot-on throughout. Overall, it’s a very well-produced and enjoyable song.”
Rebecca – 8.5
“This is so unique and gorgeous. The country-esque clapping beat underpinning the whole thing gives an edge of catchiness to what is otherwise a song about praying for fortune from the gods. The quickening tempo in the second half adds a layer of freshness to the repetitive lyrics, and my god, Flora’s vocals are stunning and really sell it. Looking forward to seeing if the live performance lives up to my expectations.”
2. Parg – “Survivor”, AVG: 5.25
David – 3
“I guess I could say I’m a survivor now as well, after hearing this song that is. But for real, it’s quite badass in sound, harsh and brute-like. It’s unusual and I do enjoy it. The lyrics are just absolutely trash, the way there are forced rhymes. The song eventually becomes a bit too much, and becomes stall quite fast as well.”
Emma – 7
“This is screaming a good performance. It reminds me of something Imagine Dragons or Awolnation would release and rhythmically, it’s fantastic. However, I will say that it almost feels like he followed some sort of a Eurovision recipe so it’s just a bit sterile in that sense. I actually really like the instrumentation and production on this, especially that touch with the evil laughter at one point of the song, that was very well done. If he nails this vocally and manages a good performance, I think he could take the win.”
Alexandros – 4
“What are these lyrics this year? The song sounds like Imagine Dragons, but the knock-off version. It sounds like an Albanian revamp, not the good ones. The only positive I can see is the traditional elements in the bridge and the potential it has with the staging.”
Rebecca – 7
“This is a perfect example of how generic lyrics aren’t necessarily your downfall: this is arguably the king of generic lyrics, but it goes so goddamn hard that I can’t bring myself to care. Controlled chaos is the best phrase that springs to mind to describe this. Give me a huge set piece with larger-than-life choreography, pyrotechnics, and the whole works, and honestly, I’m into it. This could be pretty fun!”
3. Altsight – “Dare to Dream”, AVG: 5.125
David – 2
“This is straight up garage band stuff. Go crazy on some cool instruments and the moment it sounds alright, it’s a personal smash hit. I mean, I don’t play any instrument, so anything is better than what I could ever do, but I do feel any structure in the overall song, whether it’s the composition, the lyrics and such, everything is very much all over the place, and I’m struggling to follow along.”
Emma – 6.5
“Personally, I’ll never be tired of a good pop rock song that feels like it’s out of a coming-of-age movie. Lizzie McGuire getting ready for school? Sign me and my millennial heart up. Come on guys, you can’t not like this, it’s so wholesome. Not sure about its success in Eurovision though, but it’s a vibe.”
Alexandros – 6
“It seems like a song that would be perfect for a Netflix series about a kid who faces challenges and eventually becomes popular. I can’t quite explain why this thought came to mind so vividly, but it has a catchy tune that would be a very radio-friendly song. It’s not quite Eurovision-worthy or suitable for Armenia, but it gives me Estonia during the 2010-2011 period.”
Rebecca – 6
“If Sevagir gave us the Anime ending theme, this is absolutely the opening theme. To be honest, my comments for that one stand perfectly here, too: It’s giving 2011 plain and generic J-Rock, but my nostalgia goggles are propping it up quite heavily.”
4. Anahit Hakobyan & Gasoiia – “Wild”, AVG: 4.875
David – 2
“Music is nice, but I have no idea what is even going on with the rest. This doesn’t even feel like a duet, but two artists that had their songs combined somehow, just to include them both, with each their own unique style in the song. Lyrics make absolutely no sense. The only thing I cared about ended up being the melody.”
Emma – 8
“This is bomb.com. I wasn’t too impressed when it started out but if you’re going with an EDM-esque bop, it better sound like this. It’s so catchy! I’m not sure why people think this isn’t a good song, it’s very well produced and I love what they’ve done with the harmonies. His is more layered and produced, hers is much cleaner and lighter – they mesh so well!”
Alexandros – 5
“Depi Evratesil has given us another upbeat and pleasant ethnic song this year. I can see the vision behind this, but I’m not a fan of the rap parts. However, the melody is lovely, and her vocals, along with his, are a great match. Perhaps we could change some of the lyrics, and I’ll be fully on board with this.”
Rebecca – 4.5
“The first 20 seconds of this are so painfully generic that I want to turn it off, but then we get the drop that is… actually really catchy. Can’t for the life of me understand a single word that’s being said aside from drop, but hey, I’m vibing, I’ll let it slide. The final drop takes a bit too long to happen in my opinion—I would have put it closer to the halfway mark instead of in the final 20 seconds, because it blindsides you with its power and then ends before you really have a chance to get into it.”
5. Sevagir – “Falling”, AVG: 4.625
David – 2
“It’s an alright composition, the problem is, it is just so repeatable. I feel like I’m listening to that same melody line over and over again for its entirety, eventually my focus is completely gone. I’m not too invested in the lyrics nor the vocal performance either, because I just hear the melody going over itself the entire time.”
Emma – 5.5
“If Joker Out brought us anything, they brought us more visibility of bands like this in national selections. It’s a solid entry, just nothing that stands out too much. The one highlight is the jump from English to Armenian which flowed really nicely.”
Alexandros – 5.5
“Okay, I’m vibing with this song. It reminds me of another one, but I can’t quite place it. Regardless, it’s not a strong contender for the win, but with some good staging, it has potential this year. The first one to like the English lyrics.”
Rebecca – 5.5
“If I close my eyes I really feel like I’m listening to the ending theme of an Anime, circa 2011. Sevagir is lucky that I had a weeb phase in my teens, otherwise I imagine most people would find this boring and plain. I also find it slightly boring and plain, but there’s a nostalgia factor hitting me and pushing it into “pleasant but forgettable” territory.”
6. Mels – “Losing”, AVG: 4.25
David – 6
“Alright, I like this mix with modern and classic sound, this works pretty well. Perhaps a bit too much is trying to be done here, cause it does seem like parts of the song were just added in to fill it out, but overall, it’s quite catchy and original. Nothing spectacular vocally, but lyrics are at least understandable.”
Emma – 3
“It’s just not interesting enough, even when the beat is well done. It needs so much more in this selection in particular.”
Alexandros – 5
“Okay, this aligns better with my preferences. I appreciate the rhythm of the song, although I’m not particularly fond of the chorus. The lyrics are the primary reason behind my hesitation. The pre-chorus and verses are more enjoyable, and his voice is pleasant. I’m eagerly anticipating the staging.”
Rebecca – 3
“It’s a mediocre beat slapped onto a sleepy melody and vaguely self-reflecting lyrics. Once it’s over I can remember absolutely no part of what I just heard.”
7. Gevorg Harutyunyan – “Hey Man”, AVG: 4
David – 2
“I have no idea what’s even going on. But hey man, you do you. For me, it’s just very simple and just plain boring. I don’t even know what those last 40 seconds are all about, with the sudden switch in style and singing, I mean, was that even necessary? Vocals are alright, but lyrics are also very questionable and non-sensical.”
Emma – 9
“Wait. Pause. I’m not a ballad person, but this stands out in the sense that it piques my interest for more than ten seconds. The piano is almost dark, and his voice is so unusual that you can’t look away. I don’t even think he would need much performance-wise to capture the audience. Give him a spotlight, some smoke and good camera angles, and he could do something. Oooof, that last portion of the song though! Incredibly dramatic, cinematic, all of the above. Good job!”
Alexandros – 3
“The song is nothing special, to be honest. I had higher expectations, but here we are. The melody is too simple for me, and the lyrics are almost nonexistent. All I can hear is a repetitive “oh-oh-oh-oh.” The bridge is nice, but the lyrics ruin it.”
Rebecca – 2
“It’s trying so hard to be moody and deep that it kind of forgets to actually be moody and deep. As the one with the Literature degree, I feel that I’m qualified to say when something is or is not moody and deep. Gotta love the part when he just shouts “HEY!!!” at me like I’m standing at the other end of a hallway, though.”
8. Simon – “Ay Paparey Bye”, AVG: 3.875
David – 1
“Bro… what the actual fuck?! This is just pure gay-bait. For real, who would even sing this… oh wait, someone did that, otherwise I wouldn’t have known about its existence. Ay papa… I’ll just say bye… for good!”
Emma – 6
“This is a hit or a miss, depends on what the public sees it as. I feel like it’s eccentric enough for Eurovision, but we don’t necessarily always want to see that. However, I do think this is definitely something that could stand out. It’s dynamic and fun, so you either get it or you don’t.”
Alexandros – 1
“This entry is quite confusing. Initially, I thought it would be another Cha Cha Cha entry, but then it transitioned to a Balkan dance song. After that, it went into a traditional chaotic sound with horns. On one hand, I agree with the entry. On the other hand, I’m done here.”
Rebecca – 7.5
“I get the feeling that this is supposed to be dark and sexy, but au contraire, my friends, this is pure comedy gold. The way he yells about “paying for this freaking bed frame” cannot be construed as anything but the funniest shit I’ve ever heard. The drums and the horns just go so goddamn hard, the titular line is perfect for singing along to, and the cherry on top is that he really thinks this is hot. It’s so not, but that’s kind of why I love it.”
9. Anahit Adamyan – “Tiny Little Boo”, AVG: 3.5
David – 1
“Oh dear me, what an absolute disaster. Alright, vocal range is hella impressive, but everything else about this song is just… the hell?!? Pure bubblegum barf with groovy tunes, lyrics that are rhyming just for the sake of it, despite it coming out as absolutely dreadful. Once again, impressive vocal range, but what a car crash this is.”
Emma – 3
“It’s funky and that’s about all I can really say about it. The title didn’t give me a lot of hope and it delivered exactly that.”
Alexandros – 8
“Um hellooo, this is incredibly good. The music is addictive, the lyrics are nice, and the vocals are awesome. I also love the elements added of K-pop in the song. The change in the song also gives it a refreshing tune. The high note made me fangirl a lot. I hope for a good staging for the Tiny Little Boo as well. Otherwise, I will sue.”
Rebecca – 2
“The instrumental is very K-Pop girl-crush fantasy, which is absolutely not what I’m about. Even the funky beat isn’t enough to entice me here. “Tiny Little Boo” is a cringey title and cringey lyric, and I want no part of it.”
10. Milena Mirijanyan – “Romantic Net”, AVG: 3.25
David – 2
“I’m not feeling the mix of vocals and melody here. Milena performs with all her power and voice, while the music is barely giving anything when it comes to a catchy tune. It’s very much when opposites meet. Interest was quickly gone, but sure, nice vocal range. Again, if I can’t stick to something with a song, then I’m just simply not impressed.”
Emma – 3
“Cute, and that’s about it.”
Alexandros – 6
“Descend is a song that I enjoy, although it’s not particularly special. I wouldn’t skip it if it came on shuffle, but I wouldn’t necessarily search for it either. Milena’s vocals are great, and the staging could be more captivating if it were done differently. However, I don’t think it has the potential to be a hit.”
Rebecca – 2
“Milena has a nice voice, but aside from that, this is just so much nothing that it physically hurts me to try and think of anything constructive to say. I have not been caught in the butterfly net of love, and I will frantically flap as far away from this as possible.”
11. Arsen ft. Kamil – “Will You Marry Me?”, AVG: 2.625
David – 1
“The intro had me instantly thinking, I’m about to hear “It’s Raining Men.” Vocals are extremely poor, lyrics are very much, what the heck. Very basic and boring melody, which just goes over and over for the entirety of the song. Generally, poorly produced. I’m out there, where I have questions, and I’m afraid to get an answer to any of them.”
Emma – 3.5
“I listened to this three different times and I just can’t wrap my mind around what’s happening here. This song should be the epitome of a disco era, but something’s not getting me there. His voice grates on me for some reason, the melody seems too familiar, almost like an Alcazar rip-off or something, and I’m just not into it.”
Alexandros – 2
“Okay, so the song begins as if it were “Gimme Gimme Gimme” by ABBA, but it quickly transforms into something entirely different. While this change is fortunate because it will likely withstand the restrictions imposed on plagiarism better, it also results in the song becoming a very basic and generic one.”
Rebecca – 4
“This is far more enjoyable than I was expecting it to be. The dated disco sound actually lends itself to the styling of the song in this case and creates a sort of camp, half-serious, half-silly experience that feels like it should be the theme song to some obscure dating show from the 2000s that only ran for half a season. I won’t say that this is a good song, but I’ll say that it’s just endearing enough to not be bad.”
12. Athena Manoukian – “DaQueenation”, AVG: 2.375
David – 1
“This might as well have been a copy/paste work of “Chains on You,” at least the music is oh so slightly and barely improved… I’m still losing brain cells just by listening to this kind of music. This is just the definition of poor and unimaginative. I don’t even know if this appeals to gay people, despite being filled with gay-lingo. Clearly, I despise this!”
Emma – 4.5
“Can I just say something? Can we please stop inventing these weird song names? (I’m looking at you… Serving Kant…) That said, “Chains On You” was a much better choice, this is so much weaker in comparison. I do like the rap parts because they hype things up, but otherwise, this would be a no for me.”
Alexandros – 4
“To be honest, I had high expectations for Athena, and I’m a bit disappointed, perhaps because of that. Nevertheless, I must admit that I enjoyed “Chains On You” in 2020. So, transitioning from that to this, I can’t say it’s my favorite because I can’t understand the melody, and the lyrics don’t make sense to me. In general, it’s quite basic, and for Armenia, it’s not the best choice for this year.”
Rebecca – 0
“The one thing that was good about the cancellation of the 2020 contest was that I didn’t have to suffer through a live performance of “Chains On You.” It seems that God has cursed me for my hubris, however, and has now given me a worse version of it to review. If there is anything I hate more than attractive women who know that they’re attractive, it’s attractive women who sing about it. From the stock sound library ding to the vague half-rapping about how cool and better than you she is, to the unapologetic dropping of terms like “slay” and “beast mode,” I have nothing positive to say about this. It’s everything I hate about music rolled up into one neat package for my viewing displeasure.”
Final Thoughts
Based on our editors’ ratings, Flora Bichakhchyan would be representing Armenia at this year’s Eurovision in Basel! Although, with an average rating of only 6.125, it may have trouble qualifying to the grand final…
Do #YOU agree with our editors? Who do #YOU think Armenia should send to Basel? Let us know in the comments, or join the discussion with other readers on our Forum or in our Discord!
