Anyway, this particular vote thankfully won’t affect the outcome. That’s up to an international jury so let the best act out of some very mediocre entries win.

Sorry, I just don’t believe that’s normal. Last time I remember something like that happening was when the Referendum to amend the Constitution was falsified last year. Empty polling stations across the country later turned into a record voter turnout despite all logic and appearances suggesting otherwise.

As for the finals, not that I give a damn about the BBC World Service apart from its news, I like the Skagz and Sweet Cherry Fury. Still, I could only really say that three acts were particularly interesting. The rest, including Silva, won’t set the world alight.

Might interest you to know that someone is spending money advertising her entry on Armenian TV and the fact that she can be voted for online. I don’t watch TV here, but was at a friend’s apartment earlier and the ads are being shown frequently.

Still, may the best act win. In another online poll on the BBC web site, Silva is currently in the lead, but whether or not the campaign to get Armenians everywhere to vote for her works or not, the BBC says it will be “a panel of music industry experts” that decides the winning act.

Or when thousands of citizens were kicked out of their homes so that corrupt officials and connected businessmen could tear them down and build apartment blocks that will only enrich themselves, and not the State? Were was the support for fellow Armenians then?

Yeah, Armenians are their own worst enemies. You just have to look at the situation in most spheres to see that. We’re called upon to support Silva, but who supports those real talents in the Republic who are trying to emerge in a very stagnant and corrupt music scene?

Where are the audiences when real musicians from Armenia tour the U.S., for example? Like I said, support Armenian culture based on its worth, and not on any other merit. Seems like the right approach to me, and I have every confidence that local culture can be appreciated abroad with this approach. Silva, however, isn’t it.

In the meantime, Rouben Mamoulian and Steve Zaillian are interesting examples. I wonder how they became so famous? By surround themselves with Armenians or by being professionals? Regardless, they still act as wonderful Ambassadors of Armenians everywhere precisely because of that professionalism.

Funny. In one breath Edmond Azadian attacks them, but I bet you he names them constantly when surrounded by foreigners talking about Armenian contributions to world culture. Anyway, it’s worth pointing out that I didn’t say let’s not support Armenians, I said in the area of music let’s support those worthy of it.

http://groong.usc.edu/news/msg170100.html

Though, one could argue, would Armenians want their entrance to into the spotlight to be remembered for quality such as this?

Right, and that’s the point, isn’t it? With so much talent here existing but having stuff like this rise to the surface isn’t it about time that we let the music and listeners determine who succeeds and who fails? It’s precisely because we don’t that we take such crap for granted as being the music scene rather than demand higher quality from more sincere and genuine artists.

Incidently, I often wonder how System of a Down started out in the U.S. Listening to their music and the language used in their lyrics I suspect that their community in the Diaspora hated what they were doing. Didn’t stop them, though. An international audience appreciated them and once they started to become famous Armenians everywhere suddenly professed to like them.

But why? Because of the music? Or because they were Armenian?

Doesn’t matter at the end of the day because it is the music that counts and if Armenian artists are to do well on their local and international stage let them do it on their own merits. Those that have it them to represent Armenian contemporary culture at home or abroad are the ones we should be supporting, and not every Armenian that comes along and fancies themselves to be a pop or rock star.

Like I said, it is precisely because we accept so much shit and don’t speak out because this singer or that is Armenian that the music industry is in such a pitiful state here. And really, it’s so boring and crap it’s unbelievable. It’s a joke, in fact, and maybe even some sick parody of how culture should progress.

In the meantime, stick some some dadik singing her musical advert for bleach into an international community and some in the Diaspora would vote for it while the rest of the world just laughs at when they think Armenian culture is. Absurd, and totally illogical.

Until there are enough Armenians occupying enough of the world’s vision I’ll vote on nationality… Unless of course it’s some morally profound issue. Though, one could argue, would Armenians want their entrance to into the spotlight to be remembered for quality such as this?