“I will dance, and you will watch” sings Jaklin, the grown-up version of the little Jako in the song’s title. The line immediately reminds me of Tina Turner’s Private Dancer, although Jako seems far more in control of her own destiny than Turner’s protagonist. In fact, a glance at the relatively few lyrics that aren’t a lai lai lai or a la la la show her to be quite the rebel.
The song is a pushback to all the ways, as a girl, she was told to act like one and know her place. The video extends this imagery as she’s playfully invading culturally male pursuits like a group of older men playing chess together and tries to drag women from the confines of domestic chores.
LADANIVA is a fresh fusion duo of Armenian Jaklin and French multi-instrumentalist Luke. Their music blends many influences. In Jako we have plenty of local flavour, with character delivered via the Armenian duduk, whilst the whole thing feels both traditional and contemporary. And FUN!
As Jako shakes off the shackles of conservative views of womanhood it also turns to a call to party, offering a call and response invitation to share Jako’s liberation. This could a moment of colour and joy on the Eurovision stage. It certainly both ploughs and occupies its own furrow for which Jako deserves yet another nod; doesn’t she know ploughing’s meant to be men’s work?
Photo credit: Robert Koloyan/EBU