ARMENIA: SOMERSAULTS FOR SIRUSHO
Eurovision.tv
ge/news/belgrade-2008?id=812
May 12 2008
Switzerland
The Armenian representative in the First Semi-Final of the 2008
Eurovision Song Contest, Sirusho, finished her first rehearsal. She
showed an energetic and powerful performance with three backing
dancers, one of each was even showing a somersault on stage! Everything
looked and sounded very professional, and Sirusho presented herself
as a charming young lady.
In the first rehearsal, Sirusho started her performance surrounded by
three backing dancers, who were lying on the floor. Of course, they
became more "active" afterwards and they showed several acrobatic
moves while dancing around Sirusho. One of them even performed a
somersault on stage! Sirusho performed in silver boots, but the dress
that she will wear on the night of the Semi-Final was not yet shown
to the public. All in all, the performance looked very energetic and
it illustrated the oriental motives in the song very well.
Sirusho was chosen to represent Armenia in the First Semi-Final of
the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest by an expert jury in an internal
selection. However, her song was picked in a public national final
by televoting out of four entries. The songs were all written by
composers from Armenia, and Sirusho wrote the lyrics to all four songs
herself. In the end, the public voted in favour of Qele Qele, a strong
up-tempo song with a ballad-like beginning and ethnic influences from
Armenian national music.
In the press conference, Sirusho was asked what the song title Qele
Qele stands for. She explained that "Qele" means "Come on" in English,
and that it fits the message of the song well. Furthermore, Sirusho
claimed that she received most of her influences as an artist and
musician her parents, who are well respected artists in Armenia. When
the delegation was asked why they had not used pyrotechnical effects
in their first rehearsal in spite of requesting and preparing them,
the Head of the Armenian Delegation, Diana Mnatsakanyan, explained
that the necessary paperwork could not be completed by the respective
authorities in Belgrade in time.