Patrick: I’m still not a big fan of the staging or the performance. Less is sometimes more, but he really seems “alone” with this one. Vocally he sounds really nice, but I’m not sure he can win with this performance. I really hope this is not his final costume because this looks really scary.
Wiwi: I actually love this. I think it builds nicely, and I think it’s more powerful with Aram standing on his own. The LEDs do much to reflect the mood of the song, moving from contemplative and quiet to angry and loud. I think the hype is deserved
Judit: I’m not a big fan of this song and this performance, but I have to say, I love the second half of Not alone. Before rehearsals I imagined this song in all blue (Aram’s dress, LED and everything in ice blue). I’m sorry I have to say that, but the second part’s LED designe hurt my eyes. All things considered Aram Mp3 has a strong personality and I think it’s a good decision to be alone on the stage.
Bogdan: I like almost everything about Armenia’s staging. At first I was baffled to learn that he would be alone on stage, but it actually works. The background complements the song perfectly. However, I cannot get over Aram’s facial expressions in the second half of the song, he needs to control them better if he does not want to frighten the viewers. As such, I’m afraid he will be remembered, come televoting time, as “the first guy, with the scary face”.
You can read our reviews of all of the rehearsals by clicking here.You can also keep up-to-date on the latest Eurovision news and gossip by following the team on Twitter @wiwibloggs and by liking our Facebook page.
Featured image: Thomas Hanses (EBU)
PS: There isn’t any music that stands out, like Euphoria at 2012, Fairytale at 2009 or only teardrops (altough i really prefered Birds or Margaret Berger). No clear winner this year, but I do Believe that this will be between Hungary and the UK, with Israel and Norway dark horses dangers.
I really don’t want him to win. This isn’t melodic. Is over produced, and he sings whyle is face is in pain …. Armenia should have win in 2010, with apricot stone. But then the destroyed the music with the staging… This year best songs to win: Hungary, the UK, Israel and, the Dark Horse, Norway. I also think that Sweden doesn’t stand a chance. Don’t forget that both Armenia and Sweden are on the top for people like us, who breathe ESC. Comun people that will watch are not on this bloggs…. And yes, Greece can also do very… Read more »
I’m so happy that the majority of Eurovision viewers don’t read these blogs, because there are a lot of idiots commenting here…
@Marcelo N Ha ha ha … For the eyebrows… As the great comedian and night show host Jay Leno made fun of his own wife for being ugly he said, “I spent tens of thousands of dollars to fix up my wife. She basically fixed her whole face: lips, nose, eyelids, and so on….I’m glad that she’s very very smart thoug because I couldn’t fix STUPID.” Lol I like it. Nowadays everything is fixable but I’m sure it will be hard to fix someone who is hateful, jelous, low class and simply closed minded as many of these commentators are… Read more »
That rehearsal was VERY, VERY painful to watch and listen to. Aram is obviously incapable of delivering his performance and I was expecting him to do something really cool like hop out of an exploding car or something but no. Honestly , It was like watching a tree falling down on a car and people dying in it. That is how bad the stage show and the vocals are. Major work is needed otherwise he is definitely going to struggle to qualify. In fact, if this was the real thing, he would ABSOLUTELY fail to qualify. 🙁
Do you guys know the way there is a lot of support for Armenia and Sweden in this semi final? Well, to be honest with you, neither Sanna or Aram impressed me vocally. I think that if they don’t fix their vocals (and to some extent staging), there is the chance that the two favourite acts will be eliminated from the semi final. That’s very worrying. 🙁
@Dar – Actually, a lot of the hate comments are coming from these so called westernized countries and not from Azerbaijan. If anything, this year many Azeris have put the political issue aside and appreciate the song (the song even made it to the Azeri itunes). Also, the fact that other sites like oikotimes are provoking these countries (read their commentary on Azeri entry), it shows that most Europeans wants these two countries to argue so they can point fingers. How about we all agree to judge the song not based on where it’s coming from but by it’s quality….unfortunately,… Read more »
Wow just amazing!!!By far the best song this year!!simple and beautiful performance and vocals!!good luck armenia from italy!
I’ve watched his performance in YouTube and i really like it. This guy proves that he can sing! His vocals were absolutely flawless and i hope he will make to the final, cause he deserve it.
@Marcelo N no problem 😉 .I do not want to argue either . Good luck!
@ Armenian guy – Thanks! I’m so not going to argue with you. I really respect your positions. And sorry again, honest. I guess we are beginning to get really excited.
I actually quite like this song when I listen to the studio version but here it just falls a bit flat. Kinda dull?!
Well, I think it’s a great performance except for the awkward faces Aram makes during the strongest notes haha. I hope he will correct this, because he looks really…bad. Apart from that, I like the clothes, the lights and the background a lot. I think he deserves to stay in the lead as favorite to win 😉
@Deven O’Kearney Completely agree. Especially for the first verse his vocals are all over the place. Definitely needs a lot of work. It’s a nice song but I doubt it’s going to win it.
@Marcelo N woot dirty trick ? hahaha my friend, look how I wrote it .I wrote them apart ,just wanted to mention ,which part I did not like ; ) , while you wrote quite close .Look yourself . 😉
Well whatever ,your apology is excepted .Peace out .
Glad we all have different opinions and taste in music. I’m from Portugal (our jury won’t give points to Aram, i’m sure) and this is my winner and i have an absolute dislike to Sanna’s song.
“ay ay ay…” Armenian Guy
If you would be so kind to read my posts carefully, you will notice when I write tongue-in-cheek. I respect my comment may have been a bit harsh to you, and I do apologise if so. However, you played a dirty trick here: by putting together my Tim Burton comment alongside my (very personal) appreciation of his eyebrows, you make it look as if I were a bigot. Tut tut 😉
Some troll has learned the word Bucharest isn’t he smart?
BRAVOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I lake it ! GO ARAAAAAAAAAAAAM GOOOOO
@Frank75 & Bucharest 2015 so RIDICULOUS XD..No problem keep writing nonsense .Only remember whatever you do comes back to you 😉 .While You are trolling here, in Real life God knows who, what is planning against you 😉 Have fun !!
And oh Bucharest2015 guess what -> after you comment France did not change that law xD.OOPS I am sorry for you : )
@Frank75
hahahahahaahh, the reality is that only one or two armenians with 20 or 30 counts and diferents names what write here and look like all the world like this song , really boring
Absolutely right! But i write different things cuz i’m Romanian 🙂
Bucharest 2015
I love this song. But I think that the pitching problems are very obvious and they never go well in Eurovision. I think if there are pitching problems this may very easily fail to qualify.
hahahahahaahh, the reality is that only one or two armenians with 20 or 30 counts and diferents names what write here and look like all the world like this song , really boring
i really don’t want this to win,..
but damn, this gave me goosebumps!
Calm down everyone UK will be the winner (Well I hope so) After Armenia only UK deserves to win .Armenia will be in top 5 but won’t win ,and it has nothing to do with his performance 😉 If Armenia win I will be quite surprised ,then ESC will prove that it is a SONG contest.
@Marcelo N wow I thought you are the one , who usually talks about respect and likes to be respectful ,but well I saw some unnecessary disrespectful sentences in your comment. 😉 He indeed does not look like Armenian , he is different and it’s not necessary to compare him with other Armenians or with Tim Borton’s characters and count how many eyebrows he has or does not have. ; ) Like when I see a Hispanic/Latina girl with a relatively small a*s ,I do not say “WOW you are a first Hispanic/Latina girl ,I have seen ,that has a… Read more »
Aram you are the best!!!!!!!!!?
Aram you are the best!!!!!!!!!?
I love the Armenian song and want it to win but I just don’t think it will. I like the Swedish song though I think it is overly hyped. I love the Norwegian song, but can’t see it winning at all. I like the Israeli song a LOT. It has edge and her voice just keeps me spellbound, honestly. But Israel has no diaspora to speak of and it tends to be discriminated against by Europe in Europe, so it will do well but probably won’t win.
I agree with those who sense his performance is lacking something, though I generally believe it will be a matter of getting the right camera angles. He also looks a bit strained; maybe he was tired. There’s no denying though that the song is powerful and elegant. What I would work on is make-up: as it came out here, he looks a bit Tim Burton-esque, grey-white and with those deep rings around the eyes. Maybe even add a little filling on the eyebrows? (he looks like the only Armenian I’ve ever seen who actually has two eyebrows, even less than… Read more »
Wonder why some people say this is a favourite. N’ah! Doesn’t impress me. (listening to UNDO – Sweden)
@ Leon , I think all the hate comments show only one thing and that is that Armenians and Azeris are very similar people , full of hate, arrogance, no respect and truly pathetic fighting over silly matters .. It’s only a song contest.. Both nations would be better off if the focused on improving the quality of life of their people, reducing corruption and poverty
So o’neil and garik is just writing the same comments under different names about subjects that have nothing to do with eurovision..
We are bored of Azerbaijan and Armenia constantly talking rubbish and silly pathetic arguments ..
Wow all the hate comments can only indicate that this song actually has the potential to win.
From the moment I heard this was the favourite it got me thinking about Amaury Vassili, who was the bookies favourite in 2011 with “Sognu” – And this notion has just grown with Aram’s rehearsal footage. It’s the same talk of emotional strength, being alone on stage and doing something “unusual” but just like opera never wins ESC, these kind of rock ballads have a hard time too. Vassili ended up at 15th place in 2011, and while I think Aram’s going to score better I still have serious dobuts that this will win. If you assume that all the… Read more »
Ok people, this is going to win you like it or not, so get over it
I’m a very proud Armenian right now, living in the netherlands 😀 Go Aram!
Rashad, I have the same impression. But he had a tour in Europe, so mayb he is tired..
Thomas, so called genocide? What do you mean ? :p
I live in belgium and we learn in history that there was a genocide, and it’s horiible what the Turks have done..
But it has nothing to do with music, so what’s your point?
Due to the so many negative things said, done and expressed from the Armenians, I do hope that this one won’t win.
Furthermore, his little “stage show” is nowhere near “winning material”.
So, I’ll cheer for whatever country, except Azerbaijan & Armenia, to win! Even Belarus & Russia are better at this moment (in terms of hosting). Thank you very much.
I love this song, I really hope this wins
Good luck from Sweden! 🙂
I dont like the song , the song is not that good for victory
Hungary,U.K. or Spain are much better far far away
, Hungary absolutely much better , far far away
I don’t know, it actually didn’t leave the same impression on me as it did in the music video. The choreography was a little boring. I hope it will look better with the cameras. And the outfit is not the best that I could imagine.
BTW, is something wrong with Aram? He kinda looks sick. Or maybe it’s just make-up.
I really like it! I think it’s very tastefully done (but maybe agree that the outfit is a bit too scary and dark?)
I think his voice sounds okay but he’ll probably give it all on the evening itself and I think he’s holding back now.
Looks like a winner to me!
Good song, but not a winner, his performance is just lacking something, I don’t think it has the mass appeal to draw viewers attention in the grand final.
Good luck anyway
vocal so bad but only stage led lights is nice it is not armenian taland
@Fatima Should we laugh at your comment or what ? 😉
His live performance is fortunately GREAT !! He will be in top 5 and UK will probably win ,if they have a good show.Cuz I feel like all shows have the same light effects….And well stage is way too big.Singers are being “lost” there…
Not bad but nothing special. He should be called Aram C60 because surely he grew up with cassettes rather than an iPod.
I enjoyed it.
However Aram will not appeal to a wide audience compared to Sanna, Molly or Ruth ..
Also I think he should just call himself Aram as “Aram mp3” sounds really silly ..
In all very atmospheric performance .. Will be 3rd to 5th place