Singer Nicole Azzopardi returns triumphant with two trophies from Armenia

Former Junior Eurovision Contestant Nicole Azzopardi returned proudly to Malta this week with two trophies and three diplomas from Yerevan Is Calling, an international music festival which was held in Armenia between 6 and 14 October after performing a song in Armenian ‘Im Annune Hayastan E’ which means my name is Armenia.

Nicole has won the prestigious title of the Best Armenian Song Performance awarded by the Festival Director Nadezhda Sargsyan and the First Runner Up of the Best Armenian Song awarded by the Mayor of the City of Yerevan Taron Margaryan on the advice of a separate jury panel which included the international French artist of Armenian descent Rosy Armen. Nicole was also awarded three festival diplomas.

The Grand Prix winner was none other than Hila ben David, a finalist in the Israeli Eurovision Song Contest and winner of several prominent festivals including Pesni Sredizemnomorya held in Athens and Utah Talent Show held in the USA.

The purpose of the festival is to promote Armenian culture and to develop cultural relations with artists coming from different countries.

Eighteen artists from seventeen nations took part in this first edition of the festival Yerevan Is Calling marking the 2794th Anniversary of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. Among the artists one comes across Evelina Sašenko, the Lithuanian representative and second runner up at the Eurovision Song Contest final in 2011 in Dusseldorf, Karolina Szczepanik former X-Factor finalist in Poland and Alisher Karimov from Kazakhstan, Gold winner at the Hollywood World Championship of Performing Arts.

The festival was held under the auspices of the Armenian Ministry of Culture, Yerevan City Hall together with “EMI-BI” Production Center, the production house of Emma Bejanyan, more known as Emmy, the Armenian representative at the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest.