Blog Post 1 Reflections
In my previous blog post, I researched and tried to pinpoint Armenia’s national identity. Though many of the facts I presented were historic, I intend to move away from the past and enter into the present Armenian identity. As a result of the nation’s neighboring conflicts, its relationship with religion, and the Soviet occupation, what remaining cultural components do the Armenian people still identify with? The best way to navigate this question is to look at the tensions and symbolism in Armenian expression. Through my analysis of Ladaniva’s 2024 Eurovision performance, I will explore how the nation chose to represent itself on the stage, and whether that contrasts or aligns with the identity Armenia practices away from the competition.
Ladaniva’s Background
Though Jaklin Baghdasaryan and Louis Thomas represented Armenia in the competition, they are established and centered in France (Eurovision Song Contest, 2024). Jaklin is proficient in multiple languages–she is able to sing in Armenian, French, English, Russian, and Italian (Elle Magazine, 2024). Louis plays a whole range of instruments, but specializes in the trumpet and the flute (Eurovision Song Contest, 2024). The duo met in a jazz club by chance and found their sound through the combination of their musical styles. Ladaniva is known for producing “multicultural” music, pulling from traditional Balkan melodies, Mayola, jazz, and reggae (Eurovision Song Contest, 2024). Their popularity soared among Armenian audiences when their music videos went viral during the pandemic (Eurosong Contest Wiki, 2024). Jaklin and Louis were internally selected by Armenia’s national broadcaster (AMPTV), and worked together to compose a song for Eurovision (Eurovision Song Contest, 2024).
Context of “Jako”
Through the writing process, Jaklin constructed a character named “Jako” and sang from her perspective of growing up as a girl in Armenian society (Elle Magazine, 2024). She even had a doll modeled off the persona and brought it with her to press events. In an interview with Elle, Jaklin explains the significance of the doll, as the style holds traditional meanings in Armenian culture. When a young woman is married, the mother of the bride gives her a doll to talk to in case her daughter gets lonely in her new household (Elle Magazine, 2024). Ladaniva broadens this message, stating that any girl (married or unmarried) can speak to Jako and she will listen (Elle Magazine, 2024). This theme of a universal female experience carries throughout their performance. The duo decided to write lyrics in the Armenian language rather than their usual linguistic blend–Jaklin stated in an interview that they wanted to encourage the language’s exposure (Elle Magazine, 2024). The sound of the “Jako” leans heavily on traditional Caucasus melodies, characterized by lilting repetitive melodies and upbeat drums. Louis’ modern influence through trumpet and flute playing weave their way into the song too. The song came 8th in the 2024 final hosted in Sweden, with a playtime just
over 2 minutes and 40 seconds (Eurovision Song Contest).
Analyzing Live Performance of “Jako”
The lights brimming the arena are set to a dark red. Jaklin whips to the camera, singing her first few notes–the lights flash with each word. The tone at first is mysterious, daring, and uncertain. A string instrument (which we later see is a Saz) plucks mystically under Louis’ trumpet, pointed to the sky as a call to attention (Oud & More Music, 2024). The shot zooms into Jaklin’s face, and she steps forward to meet it, as if she is challenging the camera. Her look for the stage is heavily traditional–her hair is pleated in Armenian braids, with red strings weaved through them. Silver earrings and heavy necklaces sparkle with her movements. As she spins to face us, her cream-colored linen skirt twirls around her legs, topped off with a pair of sneakers. In traditional Armenian fashion (called Taraz), women’s attire is usually floor-length–but Jaklin’s outfit is sectioned into a two-piece, secured by a large belt buckle (Armgeo, 2021). Her sneakers seem out of place, but give her all the comfort to move around the stage. This makes a statement to revisit in later analysis. She mimics the trumpet with her voice, and suddenly the tone shifts–Louis kicks at the camera with his leg, and Jaklin yells “Let’s go!!”. From then on the song bursts forward, with a rush of brass and string instruments that dissolves the mystery.
Jaklin whoops, sticks her tongue out, and almost waddles along the stage in a playful manner. Cubic textiles characteristic of Armenian rugs shift and move under her skipping feet (Vardanian, 2025). Bright colors mirror the layered platform the musicians stand on. Yellow and red are the most notable across the visuals–a touch of blue compliments them, making the combination reminiscent of the Armenian flag. They move with the beat, swinging their instruments, supporting Jaklin’s vocals with adlibs and shouts. The energy of the performance is “in your face” with confidence–Jaklin’s and Louis’ expressions mirror the lyrics that are delivered like light banter. The song picks up even more when Jaklin points at the camera and growls the last line of a verse–the sound of the background voices propel the musicians to play harder and jump in unison. The camera shot moves through the lights (also cubed and colorful), and our attention shifts to Louis, playing a coy flute solo. Jaklin props up her leg in a kind of “masculine” manner and bobs her head to the music. The musicians join her on the stage, and a call-and-response encourages the audience to participate. This interaction feels highly energetic when watched, as if Jaklin is trying to bring out the confidence of the audience with her own. She finishes the exchange with a high note, and the textiles on the screen splinter, forming into a spinning wheel of patterns. Pictures of Jaklin dancing and Louis playing the trumpet statically move with the shape. Chickens appear in this digital dance line, musicians on the stage swirl around each other, and the screen gets “kicked” again. Jaklin plays with her voice, grunting and flexing her arms with humor. She spins and shakes her hips in a contrasting manner, finishing the song off with a wide smile as the musicians find their places on the platform again.
Deconstructing the Context and Meaning of “Jako”
When looking at the lyrics of Ladaniva’s song, their message is clearly synonymous with the energy of the performance. The verse starts off with the perspective of someone telling her what to do–the voice reprimands her by saying “Jako be humble! /Don’t talk too much!” (Eurovision Song Contest). The voice goes on to tell her what to wear, what to close, what to open, and to behave “like a girl”. These standards for women in Armenia are closely tied to their widely practiced religion–the Apostolic Church. Patriarchal traditions over generations have limited opportunities for women regarding financial independence, positions of authority, and family structure (Piligan, 2019). The modern Armenian government has written equality rights into their laws, but it hasn’t necessarily translated into practices in culture (UNFPA, 2016, p.14). Ladaniva expresses this prevalence throughout their lyrics, incorporating brazen movements in their choreography to revolt against it. “Jako”, the character, sticks her tongue out and yelps. She stomps in a short dress and flexes her muscles and taunts the camera. These characteristics are misaligned from the widespread customs within Armenia that encourage young women to be “good Armenian daughters”. They are expected to not go out at night, attend to their schoolwork diligently, and care for their family from a young age. They are expected to succumb to male influence (Sanamyan, 2021). Traditional dresses for women were often floor-length, emphasizing modesty (national dress). Jaklin, however, skips in her two piece and sneakers, denying this expectation as a young woman. She sings “But I am a free girl, so I will dance and you will watch!” (Eurovision Song Contest). Ladaniva encourages others to join them in rebellion, through their movements and highly energetic instrumentals, singing “Come, come, come and join me! /No matter what they say.” (Eurovision Song contest).
There are some aspects however, that are aligned with Armenian national identity–or perhaps with how the country is attempting to present (Jordan, 2014). Ladaniva is a French-based group, and although Jaklin was born in Armenia, she spent most of her upbringing in other countries (Eurosong Contest Wiki, 2024). The internal selection of such an act appeals to European audiences. The message of the song is further aligned with Western ideals, as inclusivity of gender expression is what Eurovision has been known for. Cosmopolitanism is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “the quality or state of being cosmopolitan/of cosmopolitan character (Merriam-Webster). The values of this national trait include diversity, democracy, and human rights (Seig, 2013, p. 245). By presenting a performance that aligns with Western cosmopolitanism, there is also an effort through other means to retain Armenian authenticity.
Jako’s costume is traditional to the degree that even those unfamiliar with Armenian history can perceive a sense of cultural custom. Her braids, dress, and gold embellishments are “exotic” on the Eurovision stage, potentially bordering on performative nationalism in attempts to appeal to a broader audience. The European performers behind her have some degree of Armenian embellishment, but their presentation is more vague and culturally ordinary. The “controversial” message regarding the upbringing of young girls is packaged in a saturated portrayal of identity that is easier to digest. Additionally, by choosing to write the lyrics completely in the Armenian language (which is unique to Ladaniva’s multicultural expression), the group emphasizes their effort to remain authentic and aligned with the country they represent. There are elements of the performance that are solely unique to the group however, such as the chicken that symbolizes Jaklin's experience with birds growing up. Louis’ trumpet drives the song, and they rile the crowd to join in an expression that is brazenly Ladaniva.
Word count: 1612
References:
Armgeo. (2021, January 11). Armenian national dress. https://www.armgeo.am/en/armenian-national-dress/
Elle Magazine. (2024, May 10). Ladaniva at Eurovision (2024) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRRYpVaoj-c
Eurovision Song Contest. (2024, April 13). Armenia’s dancing duo: It’s la la Ladaniva!. https://www.eurovision.com/stories/armenias-dancing-duo-its-la-la-ladaniva/
Eurovision Song Contest. (n.d.). Ladaniva– Armenia. https://www.eurovision.com/eurovision-song-contest/malmo-2024/all-participants/ladaniva/
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MenEngage Alliance, & United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). (2016). Men and gender equality. https://menengage.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/resource-pdf/MEN-AND-GENDER-EQUALITY_Final.pdf
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Piligan, S. (2019, May 23). Women and the Armenian church: Breaking the patriarchal barriers. Armenian Weekly. https://armenianweekly.com/2019/05/23/women-and-the-armenian-church-breaking-the-patriarchal-barriers/
Sanamyan, A. (2021,March 23). The paradox of gender equality in Armenia [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmGVZMQMIhM
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