Armenia has gone the internal selection route for the past few years. This isn’t a bad thing, but it does make me more cautious about a song, particularly when it is launched as a polished video rather than a live performance.

For example, Armenia’s 2015 entry Genealogy launched with an amazing video for their song Face the Shadow. It featured five singers representing the Armenian diaspora following the genocide of 1915. I was greatly moved by the video and song. Thing is, Genealogy wasn’t that terrific on stage. They never gelled as a group and their performance came off rough and disjointed. They finished in 16th place, which was better than the live performance deserved.

2016 brings us another internal selection and polished video. Iveta Mukuchyan will represent Armenia with her song LoveWave. Let’s take a look and listen.

What a great song! Moody and powerful. And what an amazing vocal range she has! I love the background bagpipes which give the song an ethnic flavor. Iveta Mukuchyan is gorgeous and has the necessary presence to carry a big song on one of the world’s biggest stages.

Still, I have my reservations. Is she auto-tuned? That is the question I always ask when I see a video like this. Does she really have those pipes or has her voice been smoothed and improved to ensure a hit ahead of the contest? I’ve been reading the comments and those who know Iveta Mukuchyan are enthusiastic and greatly praise her vocal abilities.

I’m giving LoveWave a cautious four points with hopes that a live performance will skyrocket my opinion. Kisses and best wishes to Iveta Mukuchyan and Armenia!

You can read more about Iveta Mukuchyan here.

Eurovision 2016 will be held 10, 12 and 14 May in Stockholm, Sweden. You can watch the entire contest live on eurovision.tv.