Everything you wanted know about the Eurovision contest (and some you did not)‏

Eurovision: Seventh-place finish for Armenia in German-dominated final
Arts and Culture | 30.05.10 | 11:47
By Suren Musayelyan
ArmeniaNow Deputy Editor

Armenia finished seventh in the 25-nation Eurovision final on its
fifth appearance in Europe's biggest pop music contest on Saturday.

The winner of one of the world's most-watched events on television
this year was betting agencies' favorite Lena Meyer-Lundrut from
Germany with her catchy pop song `Satellite'. The 19-year-old from
Hanover earned 246 points in a combined vote by viewers and national
juries in 39 countries.

Turkish rock band maNga (170 points) and Romania's duet of Paula
Seling and Ovi (162 points) finished second and third, respectively,
at the Grand Finale in Oslo, Norway.


Lena Meyer-Lundrutva Rivas representing Armenia finished in the
seventh position with 141 points. The 22-year-old native of
Rostov-na-Donu in southern Russia provided the country's arguably best
executed entry so far with her upbeat `Apricot Stone' song about
nostalgia for Motherland symbolized by an apricot pit. The
three-minute show also featuring Armenian duduk maestro Jivan
Gasparyan was warmly greeted by the Telenor Arena audience of some
18,000.

Numerous Armenian fans, meanwhile, had gathered around a small
man-made pond in central Yerevan, Karapi Lich, for a live big screen
watching of the show that ended only at around 3.15 am Yerevan time.
(The Eurovision finals had been watched live by an estimated 120
million TV viewers in some 45 countries).

Armenia's entry was only four points short of Azerbaijan's
representative Safura who finished in the fifth place with her song,
`Drip Drop'.

In the televoting by 39 countries Armenia's highest points, 12, came
from Russia, the Netherlands and Israel. Georgia gave Armenia 10
points, while Spain and Bulgaria provided 8 points each. The other
countries that supported Armenia were: Germany, Greece, Cyprus,
Belgium (all 7 points); Romania, Turkey, France, Ukraine, Moldova (6
points); Poland, Belarus (5 points); Slovakia, FYR Macedonia (4
points); Serbia, Latvia, Sweden (1 point).

(Armenia's entry in Eurovision 2009 got only one 12-pointer, from
Czechs, and took the 10th place. The best result for Armenia so far
was provided by singer Sirusho who finished just outside the top three
in 2008).

Meanwhile, Armenia this year gave its 12 points to Georgia, 10 points
to Russia and 8 points to Ukraine.

The Oslo contest did not pass without some off-stage bickering between
Armenia and Azerbaijan reflecting the standoff between the two South
Caucasus neighbors in the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.

In particular, after the semifinal featuring representatives of both
countries, Baku protested the exclusion by the organizers of
Nagorno-Karabakh and `other occupied territories' from the map of
Azerbaijan demonstrated before the performance of the Azeri singer.
Baku still considers the de-facto independent Armenian republic to be
a part of its territory. Also, the Azeri delegation protested the
presence of a Karabakh flag in the Telenor Arena in Oslo during the
Thursday semifinal. The security in the arena reportedly did not meet
the Azeri requests to remove the flag, reasoning that they were not
intervening in `political affairs.'

More information and results from this year's song contest in Olso are
available on Eurovision's official website www.eurovision.tv

Panorama.am
Hayko: Eva Rivas had perfect performance
14:34 29/05/2010 » Culture

We have no problems in terms of Eva Rivas vocal in Eurovision song
contest. Back vocal is also very powerful. Jivan Gasparyan's
participation is another step towards victory, Armenian honored
artist, favorite singer Hayko, said in a `Kentron' TV program. Note
that Hayko represented Armenia in Eurovision 2007 and ended 8th.

Hayko said Eva Rivas had a perfect performance, adding: `If she sings
the same way in the final, it will be brilliant.' Hayko also called on
our compatriots to be vigilant during voting not to do any harm to our
representative.

Hayko also considered our stage performance very interesting. As far
as the other candidates go, he highlighted the songs of
representatives from Sweden, Israel and Russia.

`I think, the Turkish band has greatly been influenced by the Armenian
`System of a Down' rock band and tried to imitate them,' Hayko said.
By the way, there is a spread opinion that the Turkish band tried to
mix the styles and motives of `System of a Down' and `Linking Park'.

Hayko also referred to Azerbaijan's representative: `The artificial
legends over Safura should not paid attention to. Legends are always
circulated. We should neglect them. Our performance, show was perfect
and we are spoken about ten times as much as the others are.'


Panorama.am
Eva Rivas focus of Turkish media
13:34 29/05/2010 » Culture

Turkish media draws attention to Armenian and Turkish contestants of
2010 Eurovision Song Contest, saying Turkey's Manga and Eva Rivas of
Armenia will be serious rivals in the grand final of the contest.

Focusing on the issue, CnnTurk says Rivas song refers to 1915
historical events and expresses hesitation whether like every year,
the Turkish audience will grant high points to this year's Armenian
representative Eva Rivas as well.


Panorama.am
Azerbaijanis infuriated by Artsakh flag in Oslo
12:57 29/05/2010 » Society

Azerbaijani delegation voiced discontent after they noticed an
Armenian fan flattering Nagorno-Karabakh flag among the Armenian flags
held by the Armenian fans during the semi-final of the 2010 Eurovision
Song Contest in Oslo Telenor Arena, `Yerkramas' newspaper of the
Armenian Union in Russia says, quoting Azerbaijani media.

Azerbaijanis asked security workers to remove the flag, though, the
latter didn't so saying they do not interfere with political issues,
hence, they cannot ask the Armenian fans to take the flag away.


Panorama.am
The Guardian: Azerbaijan's Eurovision performance badly thought through
16:21 29/05/2010 » Culture

Media show great interest in the grand final of 2010 Eurovision Sond
Contest. The Guardian referred to the contest as well in a material
with a photo featuring the Armenian contestant. The paper commented on
the performance of several contestants of the second semi-final, which
was due May 27.

Particularly the paper writes: `With its "drip drop drip drop" factor
this aimless but pleasant ballad goes big on onomatopoeia but skimps
on logic - Safura asks "Why are you late? You smell like lipstick
again", and if popular song has taught us one thing it is that
lipstick exists most convincingly when marking either collars or
coffee cups.'

The source notes that in her performance Safura begins the song at the
top of a staircase and needs to walk down it almost immediately. `Why
not just start the song at the bottom of the staircase? Badly thought
through,' it says.

The Guardian also focused on the performances of the representatives
of Sweden, Ronaia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Armenia. Particularly, the
reporter from rainy England does not understand the topic of the
apricot song. As compared to their Azeri and Turkish colleagues, who
are trying to politicise the song, the English reporter refrains from
doing so.


PanARMENIAN.Net

Omar Harfouch accuses Azerbaijan of falsifying results of 2010
Eurovision Song Contest
May 30, 2010 - 15:50 AMT 10:50 GMT

French businessman of Syrian descent Omar Harfouch has accused
Azerbaijan of falsifying the voting results of 2010 Eurovision Song
Contest, French journalist Jean Eckian told to PanARMENIAN.Net with
reference to the French website - jeanmarcmorandini.com - specializing
in broadcast of information on television.

Omar Harfouch said in an exclusive interview to jeanmarcmorandini.com
that Azerbaijan exerted pressure on jurors of several countries,
paying bribes through Azerbaijani embassies in these countries.
According to Omar Harfouch, the bribes total sum amounted to $20mln.

On May 29, Oslo hosted the 55th Eurovision Song Contest, which brought
together representatives of 39 countries. Germany's Lena Mayer-Landrut
was announced the contest winner with 246.2 points. Meanwhile,
Armenia's Eva Rivas was the seventh with 141.8 points and Azerbaijan's
Safura Alizadeh was the fifth with 145.6 points.

Extracts from The Sun (England)
May 29, 2010 Saturday
Edition 1;
National Edition

ARMENIA
SONG: Apricot Stone, by Eva Rivas

ODDS: 11-2

Eva, 22, who sings in English, is joined on stage by a giant apricot
stone. There's also an 83-year-old bloke playing a flute, left. The
song tells of the stone which Eva has hidden in her head. It's nuts,
but it could win.

AZERBAIJAN
SONG: Drip Drop, by Safura

ODDS: 5-2

Azerbaijan have pulled out all the stops this year. Safura won their
version of Pop Idol and the track is written by the Swedish team
behind some of Britney Spears' hits and is choreographed by Jaquel
Knight, who masterminded Beyonce's Single Ladies. Safura's the one to
beat.


The Spoof
May 29 2010
Eurovision 2010 Scandalised By Armenian Wardrobe Malfunction

London: A panel of gentlemen British music experts joined by a local
damp-proofer, watched last night's Eurovision Song Contest with the
sound switched off and declared it a scandalous waste of drinking
time.

Gathered together in a famous West London pub, it was unanimously
agreed that raven haired Eva from Armenia would win by a country mile,
once her magnificent breasts spilled out from her enchanting white
costume.

Fatally, the silly girl failed to get them out and trailed in a
disappointing seventh. Just when she needed a classic wardrobe
malfunction, the bra straps stayed firm and ruined what would have
otherwise been a golden opportunity. Such is the paper thin difference
between international stardom and obscurity.

Second favourite amongst the experts was shared between the Ukrainian
sex bomb Alyosha, sporting a diaphanous dress in danger of being blown
away by a powerful wind machine - and a group from Belarus called 3+2
who wore butterfly wings which particularly excited our 70 year old
ex-trombonist Gordon Rodwell.

Neither of the girls flashed their breasts so it came as no surprise
to us when they fell behind once the voting got underway.

However, the United Kingdom did well, parading a pretty young lad,
much admired by presenter Graham Norton. He was called Josh and he
managed to come last with ten points. Tradition is all important in
this event.

Germany ran out the winners playing 4-2-4. There was a teenage girl in
their team, but nobody on the panel fancied her - even a tiny bit.
We're a fussy lot here in Chiswick W4.

Sorry too that we didn't hear her sing. Shall we all presume she was awful.

The match was played in Oslo.

Whilst it was raining in London.

Will that do?