May 2, 2010
Will Adams is editor-in-chief of wiwibloggs.com
Posted: April 30, 2010
Armenia’s Eurovision 2010 Song: ‘Apricot Stone’ By Eva Rivas
Huffpost –
Slighty sweet and fleshy, the apricot works well in summer fruit salads and
as a purée on pancakes. For Armenians, however, it also stirs national
pride. Known by scientists as prunus armeniaca, the fruit is thought to have
originated in Armenia and, over time, it became a symbol of the nation.
In "Apricot Stone," Eva Rivas builds on that, using the fruit as a tasty
vehicle to discuss the Armenian diaspora. She portrays an Armenian émigré
who preserves her identity by clutching an apricot pit: "May the winter stay
away/ From my harvest night and day/ May God bless and keep my cherished
fruit/ Grow my tree up to the sky/ Once I waved my home goodbye/ I just
wanna go back to my roots."
And while the apricot isn’t an obvious candidate for controversy, it’s
landed Rivas smack in the middle of Armenia’s ongoing political brouhaha
with Turkey. In February, a Turkish composer claimed that Rivas’ song hints
at the Armenian Genocide, an event Turkey does not officially recognize:
"Many, many years ago/ When I was a little child/ Mama told me you should
know/ Our world is cruel and wild/ But to make your way through cold and
heat/Love is all that you need." Critics also say the repetition of
"motherland" flames conflict over ancient Armenian territory now controlled
by Turkey.
Rivas, an Armenian born in Russia, denies those allegations and maintains
that the song revolves around cultural dislocation. She’s right to defend
herself. Last year, the European Broadcasting Union, the body behind
Eurovision, disqualified the entry from Georgia because they felt it took a
political jab at Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The entry? "We Don’t
Want To Put In."
Armenia’s official preview video spares the viewer theatrics and instead
focuses on Rivas in the recording studio. She appears to sing from the
depths of her soul, and oozes emotion that helps you look past the
occasionally nonsensical lyrics: "Now I see the northern stars/ Shining
brightly in the storm/ And I’ve got an avatar/ Of my love to keep me warm."
Close-ups convey Rivas’ passion and suggest she could make a healthy living
as an Angelina Jolie impersonator.
Deliberately or not, the video also captures a former Soviet Republic
integrating into Europe. Modernity, we see, has arrived in Armenia with its
expensive computer equipment and synthesizers. Rivas, a young Armenian
singing with a stellar English accent, embodies a sophisticated and educated
nation ready to do business with the West. The jury is still out regarding
her exposed midriff.
Prediction
Armenia has never placed lower than tenth in the Eurovision final and Rivas
will keep that record going. Identity often scores contestants points with
Eurovision voters. Rivas, who has mixed Armenian, Greek and Russian
ancestry, went on a promotional tour through Greece and Cyprus to build on
that. Armenia also has the built-in advantage of being a former Soviet
Republic: there’s a tendency for them to award one another points, perhaps
stemming from shared historical connections and common tastes in music.
Armenia will advance easily from the second semi-final (assuming Rivas
avoids backstage conflict with Turkey, who also compete in that heat). In
the final, Rivas will likely finish in the Top 5, but won’t challenge for
the top spot. The professional jury that comprises half of the vote won’t
look past her occasionally questionable lyrics or the fact this is a song
ostensibly about a piece of fruit. That gives Eurovision favorites
Azerbaijan, Germany and Israel a slight edge.