AndreforArmenia.com
For a look at pop culture, I’d like to draw your attention to the launch of a new website. I created this website a couple of weeks ago, but due to the Armavia tragedy I did not feel it right to launch it.
However, with just a week left until the competition it’s important that Armenians in the diaspora recognise that we can vote for Andre in our first ever Eurovision entry. The debates, disagreements are too late, let’s send our best wishes for Andre and hope for the best!
In the site you can get all the latest news about our entry, as well as pictures, and if you apply early, you can get free badges, and posters to put up around your place of work, home, or anywhere! This site is also going to be featured in upcoming episodes of Haylur on H1. So I will keep you posted.
visit www.andreforarmenia.com !
Pop Culture Roundup:
A new DVD and CD album is released by Zaruhi Babian, Its a recording of her very successful concert in Yereva. You can purchase it at www.armenianmusiccenter.am
A new film “Arahet” is being shown in Moskva Cinema in Yerevan. It’s the story of a Yerevantsi (Played by Harutyun Movsisyan) who moves to Los Angeles, and the trials of his journey. It really does look quite good. It’s produced in conjunction with Hayfilm. If anyone gets to see it , please email.
RnB fever has hit Yerevan, a new song, released by the group H.A.Y.Q. hit screens this week. It features a group of youths, including the Black Armenian singer Hrant, that we mentioned a few months back. We await new work from this group. I’ll get a sample of the track available soon.
H1 Public TV Launches a new TV show at 22.10 Yerevan time. It’s an Armenian version of the popular TV show “Family Feud”, whereby public surveys give answers to questions, and partipants guess the outcomes. It’s hosted by Hrant Tokhadyan.
Strange. One guesses that most people in countries taking part vote not for the song of their country, but for the song they like the most — what the competition should be all about. Yet, here we are urging people not to vote for the best song, but for the Armenian entry.
Of course, if you think that the Armenian entry is the best song, that’s fine. Otherwise, we seem to once again missed the point of European Integration and being part of this competition. Wait a minute, what am I saying? The Eurovision song contest sucks big time, so who cares?
Comment by Onnik Krikorian — 5/13/2006 @ 5:49 pm
If anyone wants to see the video here’s the link, half way down the page on the “Qami Pchi” blog. ENJOY !
http://www.cilicia.com/armo_life-log.html
Comment by Anna — 5/14/2006 @ 7:46 pm
Onnik,
I’ve no shame in asking and urging people to vote for Armenia simply because its Armenia. This is our first entry into the contest, and if we are ever going to win, now is our biggest chance.
The benefits of any nation hosting Eurovision ( which is what we ultimately aim for ) are huge. Starting with the massive number of tourists in a short space of time, right through to the sheer amount of publicity that the country will get. Whether it sucks or not, Eurovision remains one of the most popular ( and is the largest) music competition in the world.
The Latvian experience, for example, allowed the country to prove that an Ex Soviet state was capable of organising and hosting such an event, and they ended up pulling off one of the best competitions ever. It’s also the best publicity campaign any national tourism board could ever ask for. It also put Latvia on the map for many that were unaware of it, and subconciously I do think that it helps people who are tired of politics and generally ignore the news…associate a nation with “Europe”…and In a wider sense, knowing that the competition is coming would undoubtedly “hurry along” certain improvements in infrastructure that Armenia requires, Whether this is morally correct or not.
It really angers me that I have recieved so few positive comments at all from Armenians worldwide, when ultimately the Greeks, Turks, Cypriots and such have been supporting their artists for years. (Anna Vissi, the Greek entry , for example, has been sent cards, flowers, chocolates, cash gifts from her compatriots here in London). I am not aware of one Armenian organisation who has bothered to support Andre or wish him luck.
It’s so rare for us to see Armenia on a world stage, for anything remotely positive… and I think Eurovision is a great chance to get Armenians together all over Europe. I’m going to be giving my little bro’s and sisters badges and they are really excited to be able to call up and actually vote for Armenia, it’s just nice for them to be able to see that, and tell their friends - most of whom haven’t even heard of the place.
Let’s vote for our favourite song next year, but for now, why don’t we give the lad who is just my age, 20, and probably crapping himself about going on stage to 150 million viewers ( yes ! ) a little support .
Comment by Harmick — 5/15/2006 @ 2:20 am
Harmick,
I am so touched with your enthusiasm and optimism for Armenia. I am sure you have been writing these lines with great excitment and sincere feelings. However, I think the problem with the lack of support is coming from the current state of Armenia. I am afraid, on the governmental level not many are interested in hosting such a big event but at the end they are the ones called to promote the country and think for its development. If there was a real willingness to develop the country many many things would be done differently or wouldn’t be done at all but……..
Therefore, I really doubt whether one Andre will change much for them and make them think of development only because next year many tourists may come… It will be a good news for the hotel owners (many of which, if not all, are in the government) but anyway… it’s a multilateral pain requiring more than one kind of remedy…
The quality of the song and its Armenian-ness is another issue but I will stop here. Just wish good luck to everyone and especially Andre for he is going to stage to 150 million people as you said!
Comment by Krist — 5/19/2006 @ 1:54 am
I am overwhelmed….
How come that an armenian, no matter from where she or he is, can be so rude, so mean, so merciless towards his/her own nation and people.
It is so easy to blame people and governmnet…
It is so easy to blame others and crtitique the whole world.
Shame on every armenian who can be so low and be so neagtive about ARMENIA AND ARMENIANS, AGAIN, NO MATTER FROM WHERE THER ARE.
Instead, WE SHOULD SUPPORT AND HELP EACH OTHER, AND BE PROUD THAT WE ARE ARMENIANS.
I am proud that I am from Armenia and I am Amenian.
God bless Armenia and Armenians all over the world, and GOOD LUCK, ANDRE, our heart is with you!!!!!!
Comment by Krstine — 5/20/2006 @ 8:49 am
I am sorry for being rude or merciless (if this is what you felt about my words)…. I love my country and and my people and there is no unit of measurement to tell how much I do and whether it is more or less than someone else’s feelings… I am proud of being Armenian and of having such a rich heritage but I would be more proud to see the heritage maintained properly, enriched and passed on to the other generations rather… In his interview recently Arto Tunchboyajyan said Komitas and Sayat Nov
Comment by Krist — 5/20/2006 @ 2:37 pm
I am sorry for being rude or merciless (if this is what you felt about my words)…. I love my country and and my people and there is no unit of measurement to tell how much I do and whether it is more or less than someone else’s feelings… I am proud of being Armenian and of having such a rich heritage but I would be more proud to see the heritage maintained properly, enriched and passed on to the other generations rather… In his interview recently Arto Tunchboyajyan said “Komitas and Sayat Nova are our lights but since then we don’t have any other lights” and that’s what I am worried about! I cannot be blindly optimistic when there is nothing to justify that optimism… Armenia and Armenians really exist with God’s blessing but we don’t realise it… I am really sorry for my pessimism but just before the Armenian elite was killed in Turkey, Genarl Andranik warned them that Turks are planning something against Armenians. The same elite qualified him as a pessimist arguing that they are in Mejlis and if there were such plans they would definitely know about it… our problem is that we never learn from our own past………….. Voghormea Ter!
Comment by Krist — 5/20/2006 @ 2:47 pm
There is nothing offensive… First I think we-Armenians tend to politicize everything. Eurovision is a music contest and I believe that people need to vote for the song they like, but no as per Kristine’s message we are supposed to “HELP ARMENIANS”…
Kristine jan, we are helping Armenians by donating time and efforts and resources to the orphanages, returning to our countries to assist and serve in its Army … However, I do agree that most of the hotels and tour companies belong to state officials and Andre’s winning will add up to their own pockets and will not take a penny to the hungry and needy…
Relax and enjoy the ride…
Good Luck to Andre today too, and let future prove us worng in our pessimistic views
hargankneris havastike.
Meri
Comment by Meri — 5/20/2006 @ 7:15 pm
Too subjective…
The strong subjective opinion does not allow one to be OBJECTIVE.
The idea of helping each other had and has correlation neither with Eurovision, nor with Andre.
However, if somebody felt that way, I do not regret.
No perfect nation, nor perfect country exists in this world.
When one faces a proble, the only way to overcome that problem is to find a reasonable solution.
Of course, the reasonable solution is the outcome of the critical thinking and the ability of being rational, optimistic, and altruistic.
Now, some people are very good at critiquing and judging. A very easy task, by the way.
Do you think these judgemnets are enough to deal with the problem?
I do not think so.
The critical thinking is healthy to some certain point. Once you cross that point, it is a TORTURE.
Enough is enough.
Do not torture others with your negative attitudes.
Do you know why?
For, we know our past and our present.
We know our current situation, and we know our government.
Insted,let’s build an infrostructure in our country.
Neglect the negative, try to consentrate on positive.
Is it easy? NO, NO, NO….
However, start from somewhere.
I do believe that optimistic and positive attitude with a critical mind can be usefull in dealing with the negative forces.
By the way, if one is engaged in philanthropic activities, no need to tell loudly.
God knows about that, and it is enough…
Comment by Krisitne — 5/20/2006 @ 11:56 pm
So the contest is just finished and Finland is the winner. One thing which amazes me is the extent of love towards anything closely or remotely reminding monsters and devils… I would appreciate if someone could share his/her thoughts on such reasons. It was also interesting to see Turkey giving high votes to Armenia… however, considering the Armenian approach in preparing for this contest I assume next year we will have some Armenian devils and monsters in Finland…
Comment by Krist — 5/21/2006 @ 1:03 am
Kritsine, I am very sorry for too much directness, but I do not see the point of your philosophy up there. To me it looks like a bunch of half-read definitions…. By the way, also finding solution through critique is called constructive feedback, and not critique or judging… And I was not writing about philantrophy that I am engaged in, trust me, I am doing more than I wrote, so let us not get personal, because we do not know each other. Thus far, we are discussing the “political” implecations of “Help Andre, help Armenia”… This is shameful that we are openly promoting it, because I feel that this shows our weakness and uncertainty that Andre would win? As I mentioned above, let us not politicize it, it is just a music contest, where Andre sang, Russian girls danced… Why? We do not have dancers in Armenia? There is an aspect in the song of Armenian Kochari music… Do you think it would have been less impressive to have the song with the Kochari? Yesterday also I was watching that SHAMEFUL H1 program on the Eurovision. My GOD, we are facing a hunger of good journalists? Do our journalists at all graduate from somewhere? I think that the Embassidor of the Ukraine speaks better Armenian… This is another downtime we are facing, however, one of the guests mentioned:
“Well, people say, Andre’s song has Turkish elements… So what? The Turkish singer had American elements…” which means, we are openly accepting that yes we had Turkish elements?
Whatever… To recap my impressions… Wild, wild West…
I voted for Sweden and Norway, I felt they were the most musical, talented and suitable for the songs they sang…
Comment by Meri — 5/21/2006 @ 9:30 am
I am Greek and I think our entry sucked this year. I think our song sucked big time and that artist was such a bad choice. It was the only time I actually wanted my country(Greece) to do bad, to see how bad they messed up with stupid Vissi.
Now Armenia, I think had a great song. It was nice. I did like Russia,Bosnia,Romania, and Ukraine entries a lot but I think Armenia was really nice and far better tha ours. It is sad that the artist didn’t get much support from his people. Well I as a Greek want to say I think he did a great job and should have finished higher than he did.
Comment by ariadne — 5/22/2006 @ 9:52 am
Ariadne, it was really nice to have your opinion.
The best wishes for you and your country!!!!
Comment by Krisitne — 5/23/2006 @ 7:58 am