Eurovision Song Contest 2020
Country Armenia
National selection
Selection processDepi Evratesil 2020
Selection date(s)15 February 2020
Selected entrantAthena Manoukian
Selected song"Chains on You"
Selected songwriter(s)
  • Athena Manoukian
  • DJ Paco
Finals performance
Final resultContest cancelled
Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2019 • 2020 • 2022►

Armenia originally planned to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Chains on You" written by Athena Manoukian and DJ Paco. The song was performed by Athena Manoukian. The Armenian entry for the 2020 contest in Rotterdam, Netherlands was selected through the national final Depi Evratesil 2020, organised by the Armenian broadcaster Public Television of Armenia (AMPTV). The national final took place on 15 February 2020 where twelve entries competed. "Chains on You" performed by Athena Manoukian was selected as the winner following the combination of votes from an international jury, an Armenian jury and a public televote.

Armenia was drawn to compete in the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 14 May 2020. However, the contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

Prior to the 2020 Contest, Armenia had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest thirteen times since its first entry in 2006.[1] Its highest placing in the contest, to this point, has been fourth place, which the nation achieved on two occasions: in 2008 with the song "Qélé, Qélé" performed by Sirusho and in 2014 with the song "Not Alone" performed by Aram Mp3. Armenia had, to this point, failed to qualify to the final on three occasions, in 2011, 2018 and 2019, the latter with the song "Walking Out" performed by Srbuk. The nation briefly withdrew from the contest in 2012 due to long-standing tensions with then host country Azerbaijan.[2]

The Armenian national broadcaster, Public Television of Armenia (AMPTV), broadcasts the event within Armenia and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. AMPTV confirmed their intentions to participate at the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest on 29 October 2019.[3] Armenia has used various methods to select the Armenian entry in the past, such as internal selections and a live televised national final to choose the performer, song or both to compete at Eurovision. Between 2014 and 2016, the broadcaster internally selected both the artist and the song, while the national final Depi Evratesil was organized in 2017 and 2018. The broadcaster opted to internally select the 2019 Armenian entry, however, AMPTV announced on 5 November 2019 that Depi Evratesil would select the Armenian entry for the 2020 contest.[4]

Before Eurovision

Depi Evratesil 2020

Depi Evratesil 2020 ("Towards Eurovision 2020") was the third edition of the national final Depi Evratesil and selected the Armenian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. The competition took place on 15 February 2020 at the AMPTV studios in Yerevan, hosted by Mane Grigoryan and Arman Margaryan.[5] Twelve entries competed and the winner was determined by the combination of votes from international and Armenian jury panels and a public vote. The show was broadcast on Armenia 1 as well as online via the broadcaster's website 1tv.am.[6]

Competing entries

On 5 November 2019, AMPTV announced an online submission period with a deadline of 31 December 2019. Artists were required to be aged at least 16 and are of Armenian citizenship or heritage, and were also required to submit a cover version of another song along with their entry submission. Songwriters worldwide were able to submit songs.[7][8] The broadcaster received 53 entries at the closing of the deadline. A nine-member jury panel selected twelve entries to proceed to the national final, which were announced on 5 February 2020.[9] The selection jury consisted of Naira Gurjinyan, Anita Hakhverdyan, Lilia Nikoyan, Ruben Babayan, Vardan Hakobyan, Tigran Danielyan, David Tserunyan, Karen Tataryan and Anush Ter-Ghukasyan.[10] Among the competing artists was Vladimir Arzumanyan who won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2010 for Armenia, and Tokionine, who co-wrote the Armenian entry in 2019.

Artist Song Songwriter(s)
Agop "Butterflies" Haik Solar, Arni Rock, Dzovinar Melkom Melkomian
Arthur Aleq "Heaven" Arthur Aleq
Athena Manoukian "Chains on You" Athena Manoukian, DJ Paco
Erna "Life Faces" Zaruhi Petrosyan, Zarine Mkhitaryan
Eva Rida "No Love" Eva Rida
Gabriel Jeeg "It's Your Turn" Gabriel Jeeg, Tigran Atayan
Hayk Music "What It Is to Be in Love" Hayk Music
Karina Evn "Why?" Edward Meison
Miriam Baghdasaryan "Run Away" Dan Cinelli, Miriam Baghdasaryan
Sergey and Nikolay Harutyunov "Ha, Take a Step" Sergey Harutyunov, Nikolay Harutyunov
Tokionine "Save Me" Tokionine, George Brainshaker, Vova Baghmanyan, Suzanne Khanzadyan
Vladimir Arzumanyan "What's Going On Mama" Martin Mirzoyan, Grigor Kyokchyan

Final

The final took place on 15 February 2020. Twelve entries competed and the winner, "Chains on You" performed by Athena Manoukian, was selected by the combination of votes from a five-member international jury (1/3), a five-member Armenian jury (1/3) and a public vote (1/3).[11] In addition to the performances of the competing entries, the interval acts featured Armenian 2016 Eurovision entrant Iveta Mukuchyan with "Rich Bitch" and "LoveWave", and Armenian 2019 Junior Eurovision entrant Karina Ignatyan with "Colours of Your Dream".

Final - 15 February 2020
Draw Artist Song Jury Televote Total Place
International Armenian Votes Points
1 Agop "Butterflies" 27 33 111 15 75 10
2 Karina Evn "Why?" 30 29 149 25 84 8
3 Hayk Music "What It Is to Be in Love" 27 20 63 10 57 12
4 Erna "Life Faces" 34 31 1,016 55 120 2
5 Eva Rida "No Love" 40 39 56 5 84 9
6 Athena Manoukian "Chains on You" 60 58 662 50 168 1
7 Gabriel Jeeg "It’s Your Turn" 39 20 490 40 99 5
8 Sergey and Nikolay Harutyunov "Ha, Take a Step" 15 36 619 45 96 7
9 Miriam Baghdasaryan "Run Away" 33 40 440 35 108 4
10 Vladimir Arzumanyan "What’s Going On Mama" 27 31 3,344 60 118 3
11 Arthur Aleq "Heaven" 30 15 135 20 65 11
12 Tokionine "Save Me" 28 38 299 30 96 6

Preparation

Athena Manoukian filmed the official video for "Chains on You" following her win at Depi Evratesil 2020. Production changes for the song were made by Artem Valter, while the video was directed by Arthur Manukyan and featured fashion designs by Mary Stepanyan and Aram Nikolyan.[12] The video was released via the official Eurovision Song Contest's YouTube channel on 13 March 2020.[13]

At Eurovision

According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big Five" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. On 28 January 2020, a special allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in. Estonia was placed into the second semi-final, to be held on 14 May 2020, and was scheduled to perform in the second half of the show.[14] However, due to 2019-20 pandemic of Coronavirus, the contest was cancelled.

During the Eurovision Song Celebration YouTube broadcast in place of the semi-finals, it was revealed that Armenia was set to perform in position 14, following the entry from Finland and before the entry from Portugal.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Armenia Country Profile". EBU. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  2. ↑ Kramer, Andrew E. (7 March 2012). "Armenians Are Shunning Song Contest in Azerbaijan". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  3. ↑ Jiandani, Sanjay (Sergio) (29 October 2019). "Armenia: AMPTV confirms participation in Eurovision 2020". Esctoday. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  4. ↑ Farren, Neil (5 November 2019). "Armenia: Depi Evratesil to Select Eurovision 2020 Entry". Eurovoix. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  5. ↑ "PRESELECCIÓN ARMENIA 2020". OGAE Spain (in Spanish). 28 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  6. ↑ "PARTICIPANTS OF DEPI EVRATESIL 2020 ANNOUNCED". Eurovision.am. 23 January 2020. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  7. ↑ "Բարի գալուստ "Դեպի Եվրատեսիլ" նախագծի մասնակցության հայտերի ընդունման էջ". Eurovision.am (in Armenian). 5 November 2019. Archived from the original on 25 November 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  8. ↑ Agam, Åri (5 November 2019). "Armenia: Depi Evratesil 2020 accepting applications and song submissions until December 31". Wiwibloggs.
  9. ↑ Farren, Neil (5 February 2020). "Armenia: Depi Evratesil 2020 Entries Released". Eurovoix. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  10. ↑ Jiandani, Sanjay (Sergio) (28 January 2020). "Armenia: AMPTV unveils the Depi Evratesil 2020 candidates". esctoday.
  11. ↑ ARMTV (17 February 2020). ""Դեպի Եվրատեսիլ 2020"-ի քվեարկության արդյունքները". eurovision.am. AMPTV. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  12. ↑ "Athena Manoukian - Chains On You - Armenia 🇦🇲 - Official Music Video - Eurovision 2020". YouTube. 13 March 2021. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  13. ↑ "Athena Manoukian releases official 'Chains On You' music video". eurovision.tv. 13 March 2020. Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  14. ↑ Groot, Evert (28 January 2020). "Which country performs in which Eurovision 2020 Semi-Final". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  15. ↑ Eurovision Song Contest (14 May 2020). "Part two of Eurovision Song Celebration". Retrieved 3 June 2020.
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