It’s the country that’s been down on its luck at Eurovision lately. However, Armenia is hoping to turn things around with a revived series of Depi Evratesil — the national selection that brought us Artsvik in 2017 and Sevak Khanagyan in 2018.
Applications for the contest closed on 31 December. And broadcaster AMPTV has yet to publically comment on the submissions received. In the meantime, fans can only speculate about who might be in the mix.
However, one thing is certain — up-and-coming boyband DETQ have submitted a song. Speaking exclusively to wiwibloggs, the trio tell us more about themselves, their entry and their Eurovision dreams.
DETQ and Depi Evratesil 2020 — Armenia Eurovision 2020
Tell us a little about DETQ. How did the band form? What’s your style?
DETQ (ԴԵՏՔ in Armenian) is an Armenian pop, soft-rock boy band composed of Arman Petrosyan, Vahan Kirakosyan and Mikayel Melkumyan. The band was established in 2015 by Arman AMP Melkonyan who is currently the productive director of DETQ.
Vahan: So far we have managed to release one album called Watchtower #21, published more than 20 singles and more than 10 music videos and all those are available on the major online musical platforms of the world. We sing both English and Armenian so all of you guys feel free to enjoy our music. And this is just the beginning…
Arman: It’s important to mention that we were awarded as “The Best Pop Band of the Year” during the Armenian National Music Awards in 2017. That was huge!
Michael: We shouldn’t forget about our lovely fans here in Armenia and outside of it… we love them all!!! But let me also mention that during these years we have already managed to get noticed by World Music Awards, CNN, TEDx, etc… Isn’t it great?
Why have you decided to enter Depi Evratesil 2020? Have you got what it takes to bring Armenia back to the final?
Arman: Months ago we went to Japan to shoot a music video on a very important song for us called “Diana”. During our visit, we had a chance to work with very creative and professional artists there in Tokyo. Surprisingly, we found out that even in Japan a lot of people know about Eurovision and when we were telling them that we are from Armenia, everyone was like “WHY DON’T YOU GUYS GO TO EUROVISION?”
Vahan: Yeah, it was a huge surprise but we also were very excited to know that Eurovision became an international festival growing beyond the frames of Europe, even in Japan…
This fact really motivated us…
Michael: Of course this motivated us, as all of us are fans of the Eurovision from our very childhood.
So, some months after our trip, we were glad to know that Armenian Public Television is launching Depi Evratesil again…
Vahan: We sat down, and had a big discussion on whether we should participate or not. The question was if we could manage to write a song that will be loved by the European audience?
Finally, feeling all the support from our friends and fans, we decided to go for it.
Arman: Our team immediately started working on the song with the most professional young people in Armenia as well as our super professional musician friends from the Netherlands and the USA. At the end of the Day, we managed to have the song ready to submit just a day before the deadline!
Can you tell us about the song you’ve submitted? Is it similar to your previous releases?
Michael: We are more than sure that the message and the vibe of the song is just a perfect fit for the European audience (and not only) and DETQ is already getting ready to rock the stage in Rotterdam, but first, let’s hope for the best during the national selection here in Armenia.
Arman: The song is a bit different from our previous ones, but still has our own “DETQ Style” signature. The song is active, it makes you dance, it make people, TURN TO US and SING WITH US but at the same time as Michael said, it has a super-strong global message.
Vahan: As to DETQ, bringing Armenia to the final after years of being out of it – that’s not our goal. Our goal is to bring the Eurovision song contest to Armenia itself. Doesn’t that sound amazing?
Are you aware of any other acts which have submitted songs to the selection? Will our readers recognise any of the names?
Vahan: We are not yet aware of the other contestants, but we are more than sure that Depi Evratesil 2020 is a great opportunity especially for the young artists to get to wider audiences and deliver their music to a lot of people. Our team is more than happy and thankful to the Armenian Public Television and to the Armenian Staff of the Eurovision Song Contest for giving this opportunity!
Lastly, do you have a message for wiwibloggs readers?
Music, out of other forms of art, has the biggest and the strongest influence on people. It’s not a secret that Eurovision is the biggest musical event that gives the world a lot of new songs and artists… And Wiwiblog is the link that connects the fans and the artists, even if they are still on the national selection level. This is something that globalizes the magic of music. This is the reason why we want to tell every single reader of the Wiwiblog that your love is the one thing that motivates and keeps us together in this Big Eurovision Family.
You can find DETQ on Instagram and Facebook.
Are you excited to potentially see DETQ on the Depi Evratisil stage? Would you like to see them at Eurovision? Let us know in the comments.
https://www.facebook.com/gevorgharutyunyansinger/posts/1862989493845992?comment_id=1863016620509946¬if_id=1579938911967630¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic
Best boyband in Armenia.Lads are very handsome and I am shure Europe going to like their song .Good luck guys at Depi Evratesil 2020 ..Hope you will win .
The cult of Asmik Shiroyan is still alive ROFL. There are so many better singers but people keep waiting for salvation from a lady who appears once a year with her international team … Still remember the ridiculous performance and dance of her “international ” team …..
Asmik was great but she isnt coming back this year, I dont think she wil do eurovision.
I don’t know what you’re talking about…she had a great song and gave a great performance. Her song would definitely have better chances at qualifying than Sevak’s entry.
It’s easy to make judgements having Sevak’s failure as fact but still Sevak had more solid entry than that lady who thought that everything “international” is better than local professionals. If you think that silly and shouty dance/performance which looked like as bad implementation of Albania 2007 was amazing I have to disagree. Avarage song made by Artem Valter, Lazzaro and other local musicians are 1000 better than than that dated radio friendly bland song.
Reasonable tastes can defer…but I doubt she would have finished beyond 16th place in the semi-final.
Hoping that Kamil Show or at least Asmik bring they’re faces on Depi Evratesil 2020 stage
I hope we will learn to vote for the songs and performances and not for the artists. Last depi Evratesil was awful in terms of show production and spirit. I have heard that Garik And Sona submitted a song. Even if Detq has Eurovision winning song Garik and Sona’s fans will force them to win. I would love to see H.A.Y.K. in Depi Evratesil. Everything he does is done with taste
garik and sona are amazing sona is an incredible vocalist
You prove that I was right. No matter what song is a lot of people will say “garik and sona are amazing sona is an incredible vocalist” and will vote for them regardless to the song. That’s why national selections won’t work for Armenia.
I dont seethem bringing a bad song though. Garik was behind not alone by aramp mp3. And thats not true, no one knew eva rivas in 2010 where u had more famous people like mihran taking part, same with 2009
I’ll reserve my judgment about them until I see them perform on stage
Eurovision is not a vocal contest,it’s a song contest. It’s all about the song that comes from the heart and about how you share your feelings with the whole Europe and not only. As to the vocals, 99% of the Eurovision winners cannot compete in vocal contests.
Hope the guys wrote a song that comes from the bottom of their hearts. Well additionally, their handsome appearance and faces will surely attract the whole Europe too.
They sound very good, at least they don’t sing rabiz to please the audience.
Loved them
They remind me Dorians +Lighthouse X so i don’t know how i can feel about them, their songs did not impressed me as well
Interesting, I just got acquainted with this boyband cahse I’ve never ever heard about them before. Ok, being totally honest I’d confess that I’m not impressed and still wait for the official announcement from AMPTV about the semi finalists of Depi Evratesil 2020. I heard some rumors that Garik and Sona have sent an application as a duet (if you don’t know them then go and check some songa/covers of them in youtube like “Urbat e”, “Lusin”, “Gutan”…) which is, imo, a better hope for Armenia to see them in the final of the esc. Even though I’m STILL SURE… Read more »
garik and sona? where did you read that?
eh boybands are out of style, unless they’re korean there’s no demand for them in the market currently
I don’t think you need a music school degree to notice that their vocals are pretty weak. I can’t imagine how they’re going to sound live. So, apparently so far, Artsvik and Lucy have made submissions – there are rumors going around that Asmik Shiroyan submitted a song produced by an American team. Fingers crossed for a good song/artist to come out of Depi Evratesil.
Eurovision is not a vocal contest,it’s a song contest. It’s all about the song that comes from the heart and about how you share your feelings with the whole Europe and not only. As to the vocals, 99% of the Eurovision winners cannot compete in vocal contests.
Hope the guys wrote a song that comes from the bottom of their hearts. Well additionally, their handsome appearance and faces will surely attract the whole Europe too.
Eurovision may not be a vocal contest but poor vocals are most definitely going to hurt you even if you have a banging song…
Asmik hasnt she said no on instagram. That was in 2018
I heard about Emmy (she represented Armenia back in 2011), but idk if she made aplication for the national selection.
I think Armenia needs to bring good song and stage, Srbuk and Sevak was good but, both they don’t have a good staging …even Srbuk used some effects …
I really hope someone tells Emmy she doesn’t have strong vocals, she doesn’t know how to dance and she doesn’t really have a stage presence…she should do something else with her life. In 2011 AMPTV was forced to choose her because apparently the former first lady of Armenia told them to. Before her disqualification Armenia had finished in the top 10 every year.
I would like to see the girl from 2008 back at ESC….(Sirusho)
its been a while since we have a proper boyband so why not? If serbia brings Hurricane to Rotterdam they would be the one to watch in May
People are judging with their eyes and not their ears…their music is basic, dated and their voices are relatively weak. Armenia has a lot of better choices.
Artsvik (Armenia 2017) also submitted a song for Depi Evratesil 2020.
what?
I literally, not figuratively, had a dream about Artsvik having another go. Wild.
Is it Bang Bang or a new one?
I dont think that Artsvik got something that can interest Europe to listen
I guess this band is the best option for Armenia to represent this year. They are unique, interesting, different, their music is touching and they are just so handsome ? wish you good luck
I’m sorry, but I’m simply allergic to boybands, it’s the polar opposite of the stuff I enjoy. Judging by the two songs presented here (and a couple more I listened to just to be sure) their music seems to be just what I expected – bland, uninspired, dull and unbelievably safe. Maybe I’m biased here, but I really don’t think that they would be a good choice for Armenia.
i’m noticing the gap between the negative comments from regular commenters like you, and the praise from users we’ve never seen before. i guess they’re tryin to create fake hype for these ?
Well, those guys do sound great and do look great too! That’s dangerous for the rest of the contestants
12 points from Spain!
They are so cute they have my vote already
Cute never won the contest ….you must have also song
I love this. A real pop boys band that makes you go crazy for them lol. Love their faces lol
Both their videos uploaded here, “Diana” and “Mi Azk, Mi Banak” sound very amateurish and poor vocally, quite a mess actually… It’s like they don’t have the force to sing, or their voices are very low. They struggle too much, I doubt Armenia would risk sending them and costing them another non-qualification, but it will depend on their song in the end…
Would you like to see them at Eurovision? are you kidding? The best that Armenia could bring to Eurovision stage so far.
Armenia desperately need a comeback. Guys like them could be the ticket!
Their big problems have been either songs with no hooks (2018) or clumsy staging (2019). They used to be amazing on both counts, so the sooner they pick a song with one or both, the better.
(Though if I’m being honest: Qami, were it in any other semi, probably could’ve made it as is. Same for Stones or X My Heart or maybe even Crazy or A Matter of Time. It was just that blankety-blank Semi of Doom that made its weaknesses more pronounced.)
I mean, the difference in, for lack of a better word, quality between the semis is getting more and more ridiculous each year. In 2017 the average placings in the final of songs qualified from respective semis were more or less reasonable (1st SF av. place: 11.6, 2nd SF av. place: 12.7, dif.: 1.1), in 2018 the disparity was off the charts (1st SF av. place: 9.8, 2nd SF av. place: 15.8, dif.: 6.0) and 2019 set a new record (1st SF av. place: 16.0, 2nd SF av. place: 7.7, dif.: 8.3). The question is, how to prevent these situations… Read more »
WOW!!! THEY ARE AMAZING!
Good luck!
Will there be a televised final or is it all hush hush behind closed doors?
There is going to be a tv show
I think Lucy fr Depi evratesil 2017 who has a great song ‘best of me’ is Participating too! She was on Instagram in studio with Artem valter!
Checked some of their music and they are actually really good!
Yea i think so
They look nice and even cute (if you applied your roving eye on them), but boy bands can be a bit of hit or miss. They will need something really good not to end up being just some poor cousins of Il Volo.
True, boybands can either be Il Volo or Highway quality, never an inbetween
This would be a good change for Amrenia, and a good thinking about winning