Huffington Post
April 30 2010
Armenia’s Eurovision 2010 Song (VIDEO): ‘Apricot Stone’ By Eva Rivas
Will Adams.Will Adams is editor-in-chief of wiwibloggs.com
Posted: April 30, 2010 05:23 PM
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.
WATCH:
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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.
menias-eurovision-2010_b_557624.html