AZERBAIJAN 2023

The Azeri song was revealed on March 13th via the premiere of the official music video on youtube. A few days earlier, the Azerbaijan state broadcaster İctimai Television announced that the act TuralTuranX had been internally selected as their representative. Their song is called "Tell me more"

TuralTuranX is a duo consisting of twin brothers Tural and Turan Bağmanov from Zaqatala in northwest Azerbaijan. After being introduced to the piano at school, their father bought them a second hand synthesizer. This then progressed to both brothers learning to play the guitar. Tural later moved to the capital Baku and founded the band TheRedJungle however Turan would also sometimes perform with them.

The song begins with a answerphone conversation which sets up an interesting point of view to the song. Unusually the song then begins with the chorus which has a very simplistic guitar riff and drum beat under a melancholic vocal. This then runs into the first verse which feels more like a spoken word chant than singing. Although a little staccato it contrasts nicely to the choruses that sandwich this part of the song. After the second chorus there is an instrumental break which builds up nicely to the second verse which is much more melody driven than the first - but is still as wordy. This then elongates into a melodious bridge which brings the mood down a little to a quieter rendition of the chorus to a nostalgic end. 

The song has a clear identity - albeit not the identity you might first associate with Azerbaijan! It's interesting that after using Swedish songwriters for most of their entries, the one year they use home grown songwriters they enter something very very British! The film clip is also rather well made, especially at the end where it feel like the boys are performing in a small club... maybe even the Cavern Club. The retro styling of this part would also go down a treat too. It would be nice to have this intimate feel to their stage show too, although Azerbaijan doing understated is not what they are known for!

This song is a wistful ditty with a knowing nod the the city the contest is taking place in. In fact I am rather surprised that this is the only obvious entry that seems to have actively taken inspiration from the Beatles and/or Britpop (depending on your age and genre of preference). On first listen it really feels like it should/could have been Circus Mircus under a(nother) pseudonym. Although I like this as a song, I fear that a live version may well be challenging to perform. It would be nice to know how the brothers divide up the singing on the song. Being twins, singing together will sound rather melodious, fitting in with the style of song, but as some of the lines are so very fast it may well be better to take parts in turn. With that all out the way, it needs to be said that this is is really not a competitive entry. There is no real immediate hook and may well get drowned out by all the other more character driven entries around it. A lovely song, a sentimental song but maybe not a Eurovision song.

ARTIST - TuralTuranX

SONG - Tell me more

WRITING/PRODUCTION CREDITS - Nihad Aliyev, Tural Baghmanov, Turan Baghmanov Tunar Taghiyev