Ladaniva: 10 facts about Armenia’s Eurovision 2024 representatives

Grab your trumpets, and all the instruments your can find, really! It’s time to dig into the facts about Armenia’s Eurovision 2024 act Ladaniva.

Ladaniva were internally selected by Armenian broadcaster AMPTV. They may be named after an old type of car, but they are bringing ethnic vibes into a modern landscape. The duo are giving us “Jako”, Armenia’s first entry in their language since 2018. The upbeat number is arguably one of the biggest parties of the year.

But what do we know about this exciting pair? Let’s jump into 10 Facts about Ladaniva.

Scroll down for 10 Facts about Ladaniva

1) A multi-national affair that knows no borders.

A France-based music project, Ladaniva knows how to put the world in world music, pulling influences from traditional songs from Armenia, Russia, and the Balkans and combining them with a modern twist, as well as inspiration from their trips Latin America, Africa, and Reunion Island.

2) Jacqueline: the Armenian singer

Jaklin Baghdasaryan was born in Yeghegnadzor, Armenia, growing up in Minsk, Belarus, before settling in France when she was a teenager. “I was always in the Armenian community. I did Armenian dance, singing Armenian songs and for me it was my nostalgia to my roots, and I always wanted to sing in Armenian, to dance it, to participate in our culture,” she has said in interviews.

3) Louis: the French instrumentalist

Louis Thomas is a jazz musician born and raised in Lille. Growing up in a family of accomplished musicians, his artistic journey began as early as it could, starting to play the trumpet when he was seven, “I was born in a musician family. My mother played the classical piano. And since I was a child, I used to play a lot of different instruments,” he explained.

4) Where it all began

Jaklin met Louis in a bar one night during a jazz jam session and it all grew from there, continuing to collaborate where they were at the Conservatoire de Lille.  “We did our study in our conservatory together. And after one day, Louis heard me singing in Armenian. And he said, ‘let’s do something with this,’ because he loved the Armenian language and music.” Jaklin said.

5) A name with horsepower

And where does their eclectic name come from? The Lada Niva Legend brand of SUVs! A small retro off-road vehicle from the Soviet Union, the rustic car symbolizes the adventurous spirit of their music, as well as a fun thing in common, as both of their fathers used to drive those cars.

6) Award-winning band

In 2022, Ladaniva won the Public Choice Award 2022 at the Music Moves Europe Awards, the European Union Prize for popular and contemporary music, joining such winners as Stromae, Dua Lipa, Rosalia, and fellow competitors Jerry Heil and Alyona Alyona. As winners, they were also part of the jury for the following edition.

7) Pandemic hit producers

Their beginnings were instantly met by the hurdle that was the COVID pandemic. Nonetheless, the project marched on, and published their first two music videos, “Vay Aman” and “Zepyuri Nman”, to great acclaim.

8) Their largest hit ever

However, Ladaniva really hit it off with the release of their following single “Kef Chilini”, reaching 18 million views in a matter of a few months, to huge praise of Armenia communities everywhere from Paris to Los Angeles, cementing them as a up and rising act and getting them a record deal with PIAS in 2023.

9) A large French repertoire

While Armenian music is their bread and butter, they have showcased all sorts of creative linguistic flares. Naturally, being based in France, their first album, the eponymous Ladaniva, features plenty of tracks in French, but they’ve also sang in Russian before.

10) Believers of freedom

At heart, they’re adventurers that base their musical output on travels, on other cultures, and bringing a true sense of freedom and wander to every song they put. On “Jako”, they bring that perspective to one’s own self, of criticizing the social norms and telling others to find their true calling.

“We have joyful vibes, but also we have a nostalgic and melancholic vibe. Our music is like a mix of different cultures… a music of travel and also the humanity”.

Will you be dancing along to “Jako” all through Eurovision week? What is your favourite fact about the duo? Let us know what you think in the comments below.