We’re back with an ex-Soviet country, and one that’s on the very geographical edges of Europe in the Caucasus – Armenia. While they have not been in Eurovision that long, they have proved very solid performers with 6 of their 9 appearances making the top 10 in the final, and only in one year did they not qualify for the final (and then only missed out by a point). They’ve even managed to qualify with a couple of dreadful songs in 2013 and last year – this year isn’t an awful song, so is Iveta’s place in the final assured?

Armenia certainly isn’t afraid of songs that are a bit different or daring and this year is no exception. In fact, for quite a large chunk of the song, you’re not sure it is actually a song, as Iveta spends the first 50 seconds (of an already short song) whispering/speaking rather than singing. That said, it does move into something dramatic and distinctly Armenian – there’s no doubting which country this song came from at least unlike the homogenous mass of Swedish sounding clones that so many countries have this year. If the late, great Terry Wogan was still hear and commentating, you can almost hear him saying “Now then, listen out for the Mongolian nose flute in this one”.

I don’t see this having any problems qualifying and when it gets to the final it should pick up votes from Russia, Georgia, France, The Netherlands, and this year, should also get plenty of votes from Germany. Iveta, while Armenian, grew up in Hamburg, Germany from the age of 4 and only returned to Armenia when she was 23. She was also on The Voice of Germany in 2012 so will be familiar to the German public.

Live at Russian Eurovision pre-party in Moscow

Armenia at the Eurovision Song Contest:

First entered: 2006

Appearances (excluding this year): 9

Best result: 4th in 2008 and 2014

Last year’s result: 16th