Armenia’s AMPTV has published the 12 songs for the country’s revived national final Depi Evratesil. The entries. which come from includes top talents within both Armenia its diaspora — went live on the selections official YouTube channel on 5 February.
Early favourites included the Armenian Greek singer Athena Manoukian and French-Canadian The Voice runner-up Miriam Baghdassarian. But have they lived up to expectations? Take a listen and judge for yourselves.
Armenia’s Depi Evratesil 2020 songs
The 12 entries are
- Agop “Butterflies”
- Arthur Aleq “Heaven”
- Athena Manoukian “Chains On You”
- ERNA “Life Faces”
- EVA Rida “No Love”
- Gabriel Jeeg “It’s Your Turn”
- Hayk Music “What Is To Be In Love”
- Karina EVN “Why?”
- Miriam Baghdasaryan “Run Away”
- Sergey & Nikolay Harutyunov “Ha, Take a Step”
- TOKIONINE “Save Me”
- Vladimir Arzumanyan “What’s Going On Mama”
You can listen to all 12 entries in the YouTube playlist embedded below.
Among the biggest names in the pre-selection is Athena Manoukian, the Armenian-Greek singer who competed in Greece’s national final for Junior Eurovision 2008. More recently, she appeared on the 2018 series of the X Factor UK, however she did not make it past the Bootcamp round. Athena has previously spoken of her desire to compete at Eurovision.
Armenian-Canadian singer Miriam Baghdassarian is best known for her 2018 appearance on La Voix — the French-Canadian version of The Voice. There she finished second overall.
Armenia’s Junior Eurovision champion Vladimir Arzumanyan is now trying his luck with the Eurovision Song Contest. He previously won the 2010 edition of the contest with his song “Mama”.
Also on the list is TOKIONINE (aka David Badalyan), the vocalist who was one of the songwriters behind Srbuk’s “Walking Out” in 2019.
Depi Evratesil 2020 key dates
The grand final of Depi Evratesil will take place on 15 February.
What do you think of the selection? Which song is your favourite? Let us know in the comments.
I hope this will be the winners to represent Armenia in ESC this year: Sergey & Nikolay Harutyunov “Ha, Take a Step” it’s the only song I like.
Armenian people please send Tokionine – Save me! I can’t stop listening this song.
I think the problem with Chains on You is Athena herself. She’s undoubtedly a good singer and performs it competently. But if you compare it to Still Breathing (its closest counterpart across the national finals) you can see where it falters. Samanta is charismatic, goes all in with energy and passion and comes off as likeable. You can tell she had a part in creating the song and there’s a genuineness to it that helps you warm to the song even though it’s actual quality is debatable. Chains on You is a more competently produced song with better flow but… Read more »
She hasn’t performed the song live yet, where did her ego come across to you?
Athena Manoukian is so powerful but I’m afraid that the Depi evratesil judges are gonna to underrate her
Is she?
No he doesn’t lol. Maybe in his native Karabagh he has support but not in Armenia. He hasn’t had a hit single in Armenia since Mama back in 2010 and even then it was a children’s song.
Erna is fine for me – the rest, umph…
“TOKIONINE – Save Me” is decent. Quite a banger song, liked it. Could look pretty cool on Eurovision stage.
for some reason reminded me of GTA V.
Snore!! I didnt listen but its probably bad like they always send! Anyway Azerbaijan will win Eurovision 2020!
First of all, it’s too early to predict anything. And secondly, you’re embarrassing yourself and Azerbaijan as well by your comment. You better learn some respect.
How Did you feel that charisma in his picture?
I have a feeling that I won’t find a song that comes close to “Colours of Your Dream”. Hoping for the best but not sure about Armenia.
Tokionine is my favourite followed by Athena:-)
Why that hate to Athena? Well of course is not the eighth wonder of the world but in this weak selection, I find her like the best option to at least try to qualify
Tokionine – Save Me. I enjoy this one a lot. The production is slick
This is a very weak bunch of songs. Their best shot for a Q would be sending Tokionine
In all honesty, I wouldn’t have liked to be part of the jury making the cut. If half of these songs are unlistenable I can’t even imagine the ones which didn’t make it. In fact, I wonder if those artists really listen to their songs and like it. Funny how at first I thought it wuld be a pretty decent lineup but after the first three entries it was a free fall. Anyway, this is my top: 1. Agop – “Butterflies” (7). I already know this will be despise by the general public and eurofans. But it is really uplifting… Read more »
As a Greek I was so happy when I learned Athena is taking part in Armenia’s national final but after hearing her song I’m like ”wtf:(” its a song you either gonna hate or you gonna love and I cant say I’m one of those who love it. We all know these kind of songs are not doing great in eurovision although I really want a rap/hip-hop/trap song to finally win some day. I can only wish armenia good luck and maybe next year it will be their year:(
I have headache after listening all the songs
Very bad selection actually, iam dissapointed
For me – Vladimir, Athena or Tokionine ?
Athena’s song is Ariana’s 7 rings’ rip-off! Its so obvious
Also some part are from Chun Li (Nicki Minaj)
Ive said it once. Ive said it many times. Ill say it again: Armenia needs a new head of delegation. At least last year they gave Srbuk a good song and THEN messed it up… This year they’ll just head out to the contest with a bad song from the very beginning. Miriam is the only one with potential. They will go with Vladimir because they want to to play the “JESC Winner comes back to reclaim victory, hurray!!!! ” And eventually, Miriam will be be used for publicity and let go easily same as Tamar Kaprelian in 2017. And… Read more »
Only TOKIONINE has potential for something good
My three favs are: Athena, Tokionine, and Karina. The others weren’t bad per say but just I dunno I’m indifferent towards them… I guess really live performances will be a bigger impact but anyways good luck to all the artists.
y’all think you’re edgy saying athena’s song is bad and then stanning that tokionine song that feels like it’s six minutes long
Or maybe they just don’t like it and you should accept that instead of being a shady little diva about it?
Now this is a weak selection. Save Me is fine though
Armenian Public TV should fire its musical director and find someone competent. Year after year impotent show production, dull choices of songs. Is it really hard to make new format for selection? Hey glamorous deletants read this idea Invite SONGWRITERS like Artem Valter, Derhova, Lazzaro, Sebu Simonyan, Aram MP3, Garik Papoyan, Lilit and Levon Navasardyans, Guisane Palyan, Vahram Petrosyan and organize a competition between them giving them full freedom of the choice of singers and songs. In addition to selected songwriters call for songs from singers and bands who would like to compete on their own. The songs of invited… Read more »
Is that it? I think a lot of people say this year after year but I think it really will be the year of the internal selections.
OMG…ATHENA’S SONG SLAYS!
TOP 5:
1. Athena
2. Vladimir Arzumanyan
3. Tokionine
4. Arutyunov
5. Miriam
ONLY ATHENA! SHE IS A BOMB!
Tokionine bangs, that would be a great choice! I love it
Vladimir Arzumanyan is the best for me! Athena’s song is good but i was expecting a little bit more.
I don’t think it’s a bad selection. All songs sound professional, most are enjoyable. If Athena can deliver (I assume it’s not an easy song to perform live), I believe “Chains on You” will be my favorite. But Tokionine sounds like a safe pop bet and Miriam’s vocals could appeal to the juries even if the song seems beneath her skills. In terms of originality, I would like to praise ERNA, because I haven’t listened to anything like her song in the season so far.
I hope he wasn’t trying to do samba, Tibor. Because that really doesn’t sound like samba to me! 😀 I can’t point which genre it is, but it’s something latin. By the way, it’s funny that this song was released one day after Gualazzi performing “Carioca” in Sanremo. Which I’m afraid doesn’t help Gabriel’s case.
I wouldn’t say an authority and if you watched me trying to dance samba you would understand why! By the way, when I wrote all songs sound professional, I guess I was abstracting from this one, because this one is quite… peculiar. It’s your fault I’ve listened to it again, anyway. 😀
There’s nothing here that caught my attention. I’d probably pick ‘Chains on you’ if I had to pick something, but I can’t say that I care about any of these. I feel like 2020 would have been a good year to send Iveta again, by far the best Armenian act yet and the last successful one.
…and the worst singing technique ever according to anyone who has studied singing. let’s stop overrating that diva.
I don’t give an Ajax about singing techniques and even less Ajaxes about whoever has studied singing. I thought ‘LoveWave’ was a solid, relatively original song and considering what they are scraping together now, it was pure gold in comparison. I don’t follow Iveta and haven’t listened to a single song of hers besides the Eurovision one, so I doubt that I am overrating her. lol She just happens to be the last Armenian entry I liked and will apparently have to remain in that position. Unfortunately.
poor u
I usually really like u but u are starting to get on everyone’s nerves
BTW u aren’t overrating Iveta. Her other songs are amazing. I recommend that you listen to Amena, Im Anush Hayastan, Simple Like A Flower, Dashterov (which is a collaboration with Aram MP3), and Hayastani Axjikner. They are all amazing, and showcase her wonderful and well-trained voice.
Oh man, TOKIONINE is far and away my winner. With some clever staging and slick dancing it can come together REALLY well!!!
Athena or TOKIONINE, TOKIONINE definitely.And “Butterflies” is very interesting…
chains on you sounds like ariana grande’s 7 rings omg i love it
It’s better than that. I love Ariana but that song is no good.
It sounds cacophonous and Athena’s voice sounds awful on it. I don’t get why people complaining about Kemama are stanning this entry.
thank heavens i have taste and i stan both
These songs are pleasant, but not memorable, and that worries me. I had the exact same issue with “Qami” and “Walking Out”, and, wouldn’t you know, both failed to qualify. They’re nice, but there’s nothing about them that would urge me to vote for them, maybe apart from “Save Me”, which I think has a reasonable chance of succeeding in Eurovision. Normally I’d say that that no matter which song wins, it’s gonna be staged very well in May, cause it’s Armenia after all, but after last year’s disaster I’m not so sure anymore.
To me, Bye Bye Heaven and Pang make Norway and Denmark better than Depi Evratesil, which has no real standouts and is just all meh (TOKIONINE is my winner tho).
Bye bye heaven and pang can’t win anymore
Bye bye heaven still has a chance though I doubt it will win. I was only saying that they make it better just cause of the quality. I’d rather a few outstanding songs than a sea of meh ones.
Generic, forgettable and disappointing
Its 2020. No song is original anymore. So that opinion sounded very negative . Do you think Ireland will be fantastic? amazing? and wow?
Tbh i figured Quality would be a forefront for Armenia. This lacks their usual spark an hence that is what makes this a dissapointment. Its a shame really. Some countries really try but in the end if the spark isn’t there it just isn’t.
Perhaps not but you never know
We sent good songs, but Europe unfairly mistreated them. Fans will now get another toilet break song. Well deserved! I’m so happy.
Grow up, every country has songs that are underrated and tbh many of Armenia’s bad positions have been justified
Ha, take a step is the only song that I really like, save me it’s good, but it’s a common song that another country would take.
So for me it’s Sergey’s song
TOKIONINE is the best here. Hope he will win
I’m sorry , this selection is not one I’m going to follow
Nothing really hooked me
But all the best to the competing acts
Not a bad selection here, lots to enjoy. My favorites on first listen are Butterflies and Why.
ATHENA!
Chains on You=7 Rings 2.0
Usually I am excited for the Armenian song, but this selection is kind of dissapointing. I guess TOKIONINE is the best choice but there is a high chance Armenia would not qualify for the third year in a row.
Armenia is lucky for not being in semi 1 with those songs..
I almost misread it as saying they WERE in semi 1 and almost had a heart attack. Semi 2 could go in any number of directions, but Armenia still has a fighting chance.
With most NF songs still not being picked and most internally selected ones still not being released, how come there is already a theory on which semi is the more difficult one? In the end, semi 2 might become the more competitive one. Very early to say either way.
Based on historical voting patterns and diaspora support !! Certain countries have a headstart and the other countries need to work harder to beat them
Not so much Anymore. Armenia have lost their power after 100% televoting
I can understand your opinion, but,
Most of the countries in semi 2 are having a national selection with most of them have the songs already out, and the overall level of entries in my opinion, is very mediocre.
If Athena could pull off Chains on You live, that’d be my pick. Good enunciation, good modern production. Tokionine is also quite good. The other entries I haven’t heard yet, but the comments here aren’t getting me very excited. I’d love to see Armenia back in the finals, and if they don’t chunk the staging or vocals for either of these songs, I bet they could.
Not a bad selection. Tokionine is the best one for me. I think it can be at least in Top 15. There is not a winner on the selection, but I also think that with Tokionine the result would be an improvement from Srbuk’s.