Ahead of Depi Evratesil 2018 she’s collaborating with an all-star team of Armenian songwriters and creatives — including “Qélé, Qélé” composer DerHova.
And in the new year Tamar Kaprelian will finally unveil “Touyn Ari” (Poisoned) — the song she hopes will take her back to the Eurovision Song Contest.
Speaking with us inside the luxurious Rosewood Hotel in London last week, the Eurovision 2015 singer said that she’s been dreaming of returning as a solo act for a while.
“For the past few years I have been wanting to do it,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to do it solo. I’ve always wanted to write a song that could be cool for the competition. The formula for Depi Evratesil this year is such that each artist submits his or her own song. I’m really excited to be able to present the work that I’ve been working on with this amazing team we’ve put together.”
Eurovision fans sometimes forget, but Tamar had a long career as a singer and songwriter well before Armenia’s Eurovision 2015 group Genealogy took shape.
“The Genealogy experience was amazing. Each of us were very strong individual characters coming together for a special performance for an important year for the Armenians. It was cool. But what I’m really excited about with this opportunity in particular is I want people in Armenia to know me as a songwriter, as a singer and as a social entrepreneur and get to know the work I’m doing in the country — and my passion for the country.”
“I’m hoping this will also give me a platform for Nvak and all the things we’re trying to do to enhance the arts scene in Armenia.”
It’s not just talk. Besides bringing together some of the country’s most talented youngsters every summer, Tamar continues to nurture them in the off-season. Three of her collaborators on “Touyn Ari” come from Nvak.
“One of our missions in Nvak is to really foster community and team work in collaboration. This song has been a big collaboration between myself, DerHova, Sebu and these incredibly young songwriters. I really want to be able to give these young talented kids in the country an opportunity to launch their own careers.”
The number they’ve created together mixes local flair with a global sensibility.
“It’s ethnic. It has these ethnic, Armenian qualities, but it’s also modern. I feel like it’s something you could hear on the radio now, which is cool. DerHova is one of the most talented producers and writers I’ve ever worked with.”
She’s already got big ideas for staging. And while she can’t divulge too much at this stage, Tamar does give us a bit to chew on.
“There will be choreography. It’s going to be tasteful. Most of my career I’ve been behind a piano. I’m a piano player. That’s my comfort zone. In this new transition I feel like I’m transitioning into a new part of my art. I really want to change it up. I’ve brought on Arthur, my creative director and choreographer, and he and I are working on some really cool choreography that is going to enhance the meaning behind the song.”
Will she make another attempt at Eurovision if she doesn’t succeed this time around?
“I really strongly believe that this is my year. I think that we have such a strong song and we have such a strong team that I really want to give it a big push this year…I’m really hoping that the song connects with the people in Armenia.”
Tamar, who our readers voted Eurovision’s Next Top Model in 2015, has nothing but fond memories of her experience in Vienna. And that’s mostly down to all of you.
“The Eurovision community is so amazing. It’s such a committed, friendly, excited group. I’m still in touch with some of the contestants and singers that were performing with me…It was by far one of the best experiences of my life.”
Are you excited to hear what Tamar has been working on? Do you miss the days when ethnic songs like “Qéle, Qéle” ruled Eurovision? Let us know in the comments box below!
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This is one of the best articles I have come across. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much!
Darling Tamar , I’m waiting for your song…OMG…Can’t wait anymore <3
You are going to love it.
Gets stuck in your head.
Go tamar! Love from Indonesia ??:) Im happy to know that more countries are introducing traditional elements to their selections, unlike Austria for example :/
thank you, love!
An example of an international event held in the venue where ESC will be held in case Armenia wins Eurovision.
https://youtu.be/Qb9-S6kpDp4
Just for those who claim that Armenia is a poor country and can’t host Eurovision.
I’m sorry but it’s too small for Eurovision. But, I’m sure Armenia could figure something out 😉
Hayer gone duq senc mi artahaytveq, tesnum eq koxqic inch ases xosum en.
As you can see it’s the small arena of Karen Demirchyan sport and music complex, the big one is also exist with 10.000 seats. Don’t worry
We could totally figure something out.
Being an Armenian and missing the gorgeous entry and interviews of the 2016th ESC, I am really excited with the participation of Tamar Kaprelian. She is amazing, she is pretty nice, she is intelectual, she speak english well an so on. She has everything to impress all people.
Good luck Tamar, the votes from me are waiting for your show in the Depi Evratesil )
thank you, my friend. means so much to me. i just want to make armenians all over the world proud and to showcase the incredible talent in our country.
I love how committed and competitive Tamar is. Arm TV hasn’t even announced details of the selection and Tamar is already engaged in a full on promotion of her entry. This gives me great hope that she has come up with a great song. As for the date of the release of the song, I would hold off on releasing it too early simply because it might get lost among the dozens of songs about to be released, or maybe just release a small snippet haha
hey Ron: how about Mid-jan?
the song is so good, that it won’t get lost… 😉
Hey Tamar jan – assuming rules of Depi Evratesil allow for the contestant to release their entry before the producers announce the finalists, I think a mid January release would be great in fact it would be better if we had a music video to go along with the release of the song to bring it all together.
I’m waiting for a content that won’t contain Armenians discussing Azerbaijan and comparing Azerbaijan to Armenia.
hey my friend. from my end, i can ensure that i will not be focusing on politics or any of that stuff. i just want to submit an amazing song, and make my country proud.
I really hope we can go to Yerevan in 2019! Good luck Tamar and I hope you win Eurovision! 😉
They can do well ofc. But I don’t really think that they can afford hosting the contest, they are one of the poorest countries in Eastern Europe as you know. I pretty much doubt that they can put up a good show. Also I personally do not want a homophobic country to host the event, from what I heard from my friends who had a chance to visit there I did not hear good things. Trust me, they are nothing like Azerbaijan or even Russia when it comes to such topics, their police officers are too agressive against homosexuals and… Read more »
I know it’s just a song contest and it should not be about these situations of the participating countries. But I also do not want countries like Armenia or Russia to win or host such great events. I hope that Iceland or France is going to win next year.
Ohh that’s sad!:-( But Ukraine put on 2 great shows in 2005 and 2017, and I have heard that they are sadly one of the poorest countries in Europe. They also hosted jesc 2009 and 2013- so 4 euro shows. However Armenia might be poorer, as you just said- if I recall didn’t they host jesc 2011? Hopefully they get their act together so they can host someday 😉
Dear little troll According to your iron logic small nations must not win this song contest because they don’t have oil? I thought this is a song contest and the best song must win. And I would offer you to check different indexes comparing human rights and democracy among countries: Armenia everywhere has better rankings than Russia and Azerbaijan if you care that much about human rights and gays. For example in Armenia there aren’t laws criminalizing homosexuality like in Russia and there weren’t massive arrests of gays like recently in Azerbaijan. Yes Armenia doesn’t have oil like Russia and… Read more »
Finally, thanks a lot for these words, you just expressed all my thoughts.
WOW. You don’t need to be that rude, people are expressing their opinions and that’s okay. I also have heard about terrible attitude towards homosexuals in Armenia. The only difference from those of Russia or Azerbaijan is that there are literally noone who stands up against such violence there I think. While Russian, Azerbaijani human rights, LGBT rights activists spreading such news all over the world, from Armenia nobody says a thing as if everything’s normal. That is indeed worse than the situation in Russia I think. At least they can speak up and let world know all the injustice… Read more »
I’m not rude. Just everyone should be rather kind and choose words that wouldn’t hurt others. Eurovision is not a gay pride it is a song contest and we should pay attention not only on gay rights but in general on human rights. At least in Armenia President doesn’t get its position from his father as a heritage and Armenia has much better civil liberty than both countries you mentioned. Don’t forget for 70 years Armenia was occupied by USSR and had totally different environment for development of human rights and still there can be problems but at the same… Read more »
@Yerevan Boy What is wrong with you? I didn’t even write aything bad, you can’t talk like that to people. I said what I think, you might disagree with that. It’s alright. But you can’t write nasty things about me, you don’t even know me. You can’t expect everyone to say only positive things about your country, that is just ridiculous. :s
And you can’t expect that everyone can say only positive things to you when you use not acceptable adjectives and wrong information addressing to whole country, people and underestimating a country of others. What I know about you comes from your “brilliant post” and it’s enough to understand that you are not a real ESC fan as real ESC fan doesn’t underestimate participating countries, real fan talks about songs and artists and doesn’t hurt other countries and fans living there for having problems for not being oilrich ones. For your information Armenia is a rich country and it is rich… Read more »
@Jessica21 – so you think you have the right to go around insulting a whole country yet they don’t have the right to defend themselves? And from what I read, Yerevan Boy didn’t say anything insulting to you. Yet, you went on a rampage about how a country should not win a song contest because somehow they have different values than you do.
wait! WHAT??? When did I insult a country? Excuse me?? I just said that I don’t want Armenia to win or host the contest, because I think that it’s kinda early for them to do it. And yes, Eurovision is not a gay pride or anything like that, but there’s an undeniable fact that most of its fans are gay people and I am sure they would like to attend the event and watch it live from the arena. All I am saying is that your lovely country is not suitable for that from what I heard. Eh… nevermind though.… Read more »
Dear Jessica aka Mirza aka Jose
I think some more competent people in EBU know much better whether a country is ready to participate in a contest or not and they made Armenia participant of this Eurovision. Btw Armenia was the first entrant of Transcaucasia in Eurovision and it wasn’t absentmindedly.Contest is not Olympic games and participation means that participant may win and EBU is much more competent than unknown trolls and with its decision automatically EBU accepts that all countries may win.
@Jessica21 – If a country delivers the winning song, that country deserves to host the contest. It’s as simple as that. If a country is a member of the EBU, then that country has the grounds in place to ensure that all participants and fans of the contest will be safe. Azerbaijan, Russia and recently Ukraine who have worse human rights scores hosted the contest without any issues.
Haha stop arguing guys. I also think that Armenia isn’t ready to host Eurovision yet. Neither financially nor politically – Azerbaijan wouldn’t participate in the contest if Armenia hosted it (kinda similar situation to this year’s Russia – Ukraine drama). Georgia did pretty good job with JESC this year, for now I am sure they are the best option when it comes to hosting Eurovision (from Caucasus).
@Jose – So if Azerbaijan would boycott the contest, then Armenia should never win? What? It didn’t matter to anyone when Azerbaijan won in 2011 and Armenia had to withdraw.
As for your subtle suggestion that Georgia is better suited, Armenia hosted JESC very successfully in 2011 long before Georgia had the means to host. A fun fact, in 2010, Armenia and Georgia had both applied to host the 2011 JESC and EBU granted the hosting rights to Armenia because Armenia had a better application. In another words, Armenia was more ready than Georgia was to host.
+Yerevan boy I’m really sorry if I Offended you and u send you my dearest apologizes. Your country hosted jesc 2011 amazingly and I hope you can win Eurovision so you can host it! 🙂 I am really sorry #YEREVAN2019
Eurovision isn’t the Olympics, the only countries that can’t host it are the ones without a proper arena. Big part of the money comes from sponsorship, and remember: all countries must pay a fee to participate, and this money doesn’t just disappear (maybe part of it xD)…
and ofc Australia, because of the logistics…
Always have a soft spot for Americans who take on Eurovision. Tamar was awesome with Geneology, and it’ll be fun to see how her solo endeavor does.
thank you! <3
Love her! Can’t wait to hear her song!
thank you !!! <3
Good Luck!
thank you!
When will we hear the song?
When do you guys think i should release it?
OMG IT’S YOU!!! RELEASE THE SONG AS EARLY AS YOU CAN! PLEASEEEEEEEEEEE, WE’RE DYING TO HEAR IT!
Or you could of course release it during February or March.
I was thinking mid-Jan… before Depi Evradesil…
I’d love to see Tamar representing Armenia in Lisbon)) Best of luck at Depi Evratesil. Can’t wait.
Thank you so much!
?? <3
Things I like in this girl: 1. Look 2. Nice voice 3. She is not just a singer, she is musician/composer/singer 4. Good knowledge of English (last year’s entrant who didn’t know English proved how it can be useful when it comes to interviews) 5. The thing that she is 4th generation of her Armenian family living outside Armenia but she speaks Armenian unlike Artsvik who was born in Armenia but hardly could say a word on native language. (I really appreciate it) 6. Her connection with the homeland and Nvak project helping local young songwriters. 7. Her experience in… Read more »
Artsvik couldn’t speak Armenian??
If Artsvik cant speak Armenian nor English, then what is her first language? Russian maybe? I’ve heard she was in The Voice Russia.
Amot chi qez vor tenc ban grum es Arcviki masin ev angleren??? Misht uzum es haytarak anes qo sirac “hayreniqd”. Gone hima sus ara, eli. Zzvcrir.
Her “good knowledge” of English comes from the fact that it’s her first language, having grown up in an Anglophone country.
many many bacheegs to you, Avat.
Eurovision has become too sanitised lately. Anything ethnic gets points from me. Go Tamar!
Nancy: thank you! <3