In her Eurovision 2020 entry “Chains on You”, she encouraged everyone to pursue their potential even when people try to obscure or steal your gifts. And now Athena Manoukian is ready to teach y’all another lesson — this time about love — with her stunning new music video for “Dolla”.
The Greek-Armenian diva released the audio ahead of Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light. In the time that’s passed she’s made a glittering video to bring the song’s message into sharper focus.
Writing in the comments section of the YouTube video, Athena dispensed the following advice: “Even if the man (or woman) you love isn’t wealthy enough for you, love him for what he is. We don’t need dolla(rs) to shine, we are all GOLDEN anyways.”
“Dolla” music video — Athena Manoukian
The lyrics of the song show that Athena is practicing what she preaches. This number is essentially a love letter to her beloved, letting him know that she doesn’t care about his coins as long as she’s got his heart.
The chorus stresses the point that he needn’t worry about money: “And I know that you ain’t got dolla, dolla, dolla, dolla, dolla, dolla oh Dolla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, oh.” Far from feeling monotonous, the repetition of dolla takes on the air of a beating heart — helping the song transcend pop and move toward something akin to a sonnet.
What matters to Athena is the way her Mister looks running down the stairs, and the laughter he brings whenever he smiles. As she sings: “Diamonds in my heart babe, don’t you ever ever leave me, a small touch is my too much, big cars can’t buy my love.”
Together the couple are “golden”, she sings, and these lyrics give her video life. At times Athena wears a black bustier with golden top. But for much of the video she appears to be nude, covered only in golden body paint. It’s an appropriately raw image for a woman sharing her most intimate feelings.
Athena, whose connection with Armenia has grown ever stronger since Depi Evratesil, had wanted to film the video in Armenia. But owing to coronavirus she had to shoot the video in Greece instead.
Despite the change in location, Athena, who also served as creative director, decided to stick with her original artistic vision: she included golden embellishments inspired by Armenian tradition and design.
“The masks made by me for my dancers add mysterious beauty to the video,” she tells us. “The masks have lots of gold jewels on them and they bring an artistic vibe to the video as the dancers look like soldiers.”
As with “Chains on You”, Athena once again penned the lyrics herself and co-wrote the music alongside collaborator DJ Paco.
Re-iterating the strong message of the song, Athena said: “It is a very positive, fresh single that makes you dance. It touches upon the topic of how a woman can love a man who has no money, but he is a great person. And for that woman money has no importance.”
“Dolla” lyrics — Athena Manoukian
DOLLA LYRICS
Dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), oh
Dolla(rs), ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, oh
I don’t really know your name
Maybe this is not a game
Something in your eyes I realize it’s like a burning flame
Touching you I feel your heartbeat
Knowing that it’s my new habit
Till the end of time bonding babe living a fairytale
So sweet when you’re walking down the stairs
So sweet when you laugh it brings me tears
We are golden en, en, en, en
We are golden en, en, en, en
And I know that you ain’t got dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs) oh
Dolla(rs), ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, oh
Dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), oh
Dolla(rs), ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, oh
Diamonds in my heart babe
Don’t you ever ever leave me
A small touch is my too much
Big cars can’t buy my love
And when the time is passing by
I’ll be missing us before goodbye
I breath your air and it’s not fair
You know it was always you
So sweet when you’re walking down the stairs
So sweet when you laugh it brings me tears
We are golden en, en, en, en
We are golden en, en, en, en
And I know that you ain’t got dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs) oh
Dolla(rs), ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, oh
Dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), oh
Dolla(rs), ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, oh
Dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), dolla(rs), oh
Dolla(rs), ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, ‘olla, oh
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