AZERBAIJAN 2025

The Azerbaijani song was revealed on February 19th with the music video premiere on the official Eurovision youtube channel. A few days previously, ITV (the Azerbaijani broadcaster) announced details of the act that had been internally selected. Going to Basel is Mamagama with the song "Run With U".

Mamagama an Azerbaijani band founded in 2021 and the trio currently consists of Sefael Mishiyev,  Bahruz Efendiyev and Allahverdi Gumbetli. Their music style is inspired by traditional music but has a more pop/rock influence. Their Eurovision entry will be their 6th single release. The band won first prize in the international section of the 2022 edition of the Kënga Magjike festival in Albania and were in contention as the Azeri Eurovision act in 2023.

The song starts with a short verse followed by a lengthy refrain. After this comes the pre-chorus followed by the chorus and a short instrumental. This is then cycled through once more although this time the refrain and pre-chorus are much shorter and finishes, rather abruptly at the instrumental at the end of the chorus. The video has a retro scientific theme with a Blade Runner/Tron backdrop and a narrative on the lines of Frankenstein with the singer being created and brought to life by the other members. As well as an interesting visual, there is also a little bit of humour in the video in particular with the dialling phones and floppy discs as well as some slapstick with the robotic dancing and the singer falling off the tables. At the end, the band plays together very briefly and are dressed in black and white baggy casual clothing with jackets over the top. 

On first listen, I was surprised by the modern nostalgic feel this has in its construction. The arrangement is cool and minimal plus the use of the saz (a traditional Azeri instrument) in the music-only parts almost gives the song a country edge but does feel a little bit shoe-horned in to be honest. The singer's voice is intriguing and has a nice modern yet retro edge. He has a much higher register than I expected which made the very beginning of the first listen interesting. The music has a feel of late '70s early '80s disco or could be a companion piece for Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" or something from the "Off The Wall" album. In Eurovision terms, it also reminds me of Ben Dolic's 2020 song "Violent Thing". The video presentation obviously raises questions about how this will look on stage. Firstly I am unsure if this video version will be the exact same cut used in Eurovision as the ending is abrupt and leaves you feeling confused. Also, the video setup is very interesting I can't see them transferring this to the stage. That said, neither do I want their stage outfits to look like the end part either. Finally I hope the singer, if not all three of them, can take on a bit of movement control or choreography as this is the type of track you want to see people dancing to. This is a great radio song and I hope the staging fits and lifts the song even higher.

ARTIST - Mamagama

SONG - Run With U

WRITING/PRODUCTION CREDITS - Hasan Hayadar, Sefael Mishiyev, Roman Zee

AZERBAIJAN 2024

The Azerbaijani song was revealed on March 15th - the music video premiere was made on the official youtube channel. A week earlier, ITV (the Azerbaijani broadcaster) announced details about their act and that the song would be released to the public in due course. Their act for Malmö is Fahree featuring Ilkin Dovlatov with the song "Özünlə Apar" (Take Me with You)

Fakhri Ismayilov (aka Fahree) was born in 1995 in Baku. He came from an artistic family; his father being a jazz drummer and his grandfather being an actor. However, he followed a more academic path and gained a Bachelor's and Master's degree in law. Then, during the COVID lockdowns, he devoted more time to msic releasing his first song "Dance" in 2022. Late October 2023, Fahree was revealed as one of the sixteen shortlisted candidates in the 2024 Azerbaijani selection. He will be accompanied on stage by İlkin Dövlətov. He was born in 1990 and has been singing since he was four. His big break came in 2023 when he came second in a special native songs edition of "The Voice of Azerbaijan".  İlkin was also of the other finalists of the country's selection process and is primarily a mughram style singer. 

The song is an ethnic ballad containing English and - for the first time in the adult contest - the Azerbaijani language. We start with a softly spoken intro before a longer verse - and what turns out to be the only verse in the whole song. The pre-chorus is where the song really starts to take shape. The off beat rhythm - which is replicated in many songs this year - comes in but doesn't really effect the song as it says firmly in ballad territory This flow is then maintained in the chorus although the language changes to Azerbaijani. This is followed by a short break accompanied by some mughram singing by both Fahree and İlkin. We then go straight into the pre-chorus but this time the beat kicks in after it has finished and İlkin enjoys the limelight once again. The beat continues under one last version of the chorus before fading out after more of the two guys' vocal gymnastics.

The video is rather basic and one will hope the delegation has something more memorable up their sleeve in May. Fahree is backed by two violinists, an electric guitarist and somebody on a soundboard/laptop type set up. İlkin's sections are filmed separately and spliced into the video. It might be nice to see how they interact on stage or how İlkin's parts are identified during the song. Bright coloured lighting is simplistically used. İlkin is highlighted by being bathed in a warm yellow light. As the song progresses, Fahree's stage goes from a dusky violet to a raspberry reddish-pink. On first listen I was a little underwhelmed: I was hoping the song would get much bigger and create a more dramatic crescendo. However on further listening this is a rather low-key ethnic ballad that has a sound and feel like nothing else this year. The shift from English to Azerbaijani is not clunky at all although I would have liked to have heard more of the melisma at the end of every line of the chorus not just the first line. Staging will absolutely effect how this is judged and being a less 'in-your-face' number means the impact needs to be strong. The song is interesting, but not immediate, and in a semi-final with very few slow ballads, it could unfortunately fall fowl of the 100% televote in the semis.

ARTIST - Fahree featuring Ilkin Dovlatov 

SONG - Özünlə Apar

WRITING/PRODUCTION CREDITS - Hasan Haydar, Fakhri Ismayilov, Mila Miles, Edgar Ravin, Mado Salikh

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

AZERBAIJAN 2021

The Azeri song was revealed on March 15th, with the song's premiere on youtube. After the cancellation of the 2020 contest, Efendi was invited back for 2021 with another internally selected song. She will be singing "Mata Hari"”.

The video is rather simplistic, focusing on Efendi,who is dressed in a little black dress and a very high ponytail. The feeling is very soft focus and there is a warm glow to the visuals. She is joined in the shots by some female dancers who are dressed in a similar way. There are motifs of backlit spotlights and differing sizes of glowing lights which give it a Bond-like spy quality. There is a bit of armography that goes along with this but does look quite pedestrian at times.

The song starts with a mass shout of "Mata Hari before the atmospheric Eastern sounds in backing creeps in. Efendi chants over it with the repetitive first verse. Half way through a beat come in to help the song build. Then comes in the pre-chorus with its shameless plug of last year's song "Cleopatra", the repetition on the mystic chanting before hitting the chorus. This art is possibly the most basic with the repetition - in different guises - of the title. The beat peters aout again to repeat the cycle once again. Just before the two minute mark we have a bridge which is basically a descotrucedt chorus with more 'Mata Hari's and drumming rhythms which then leads into a short instrumental that sounds suspiciously like the one from "My Number One" We then have a shortened pre-chorus before a final chorus but the backing track seems to be at double speed and has  rather random electric guitars on it. The song finishes with another chant of "Mata Hari".

Efendi, first name Samira,  is a popular Azeri singer. Like many Eurovision contestants, she is from a reality show/singing competition background having taken part in the Azeri version of Pop Idol in 2009 and The Voice of Azerbaijan in 2016 coming in third place. She also participated in the show Böyük Səhnə which selected their Eurovision competition in 2014, however she did not make it to the final.

This is pretty disappointing. It's like they have tried to stretch the themes and tropes from their 2020 song and tried to fit them into an identikit song without it seeming like a total ripoff. I am not sure if the delegation had this written especially to sound as much like "Cleopatra" as possible OR if this similarity was due to pure laziness or lack of inspiration. I find this massively misses the mark and the last minute is a mess of sound and structure. As much as the song is badly constructed, there is no doubt in anybody's mind as to what the title of the song is ! On a visual point of view the lighting and quick cuts of the camera create almost all the movement and tension on screen.  I am starting to suspect they are trying to cover up Efendi's lack of talent, or  lack of confidence, in dancing. If this is true it will be interesting to see what happens on stage. Most people coming back from last year have changed things up or changed tack completely but this has just stuck fast and it already feels old.

ARTIST - Efendi
SONG - Mata Hari
WRITING CREDITS - Luuk van Beers, Tony Cornelissen, Josh Earl, Amy van der Wel

17/03/12 AZERBAIJAN

The Azeri Final was held at the Heydar Aliyev Palace in Baku back on February 12th, hosted by Leyla Aliyeva, Husniya Maharramova & Kamran Quliyev. Before the final there numerous heats and semi finals. During the final each of the finalists sang 3 songs & the eventual winner was chosen by an "expert" jury.  The singer selected was Sabina Babayeva. Then on the 17 March her entry was released via the internet. She will sing the song “When the music dies”

The song is a romantic ballad that grows steadily and shows off Sabina’s vocal range. During the song more ethic elements can be heard in the backing track. She does a lot of vocal gymnastics during the song and it does get a little bit shouty at times. Her voice is good although the faster bit do feel a bit garbled.

The song is written partly by the same team who wrote last year’s Azeri winning entry but this is nowhere near as memorable. It is not exactly the more interactive of songs and you can’t really join in or remember most if it after it has finished. As for the finish, it ends extremely abruptly and I can imagine an awkward silence at the end.

As there s no live version yet it is hard to judge how this will go on the night. Of course, as winners,  they directly qualify for the final and probably would need it. A very classy song but there is no kick, no hook, no pull. Will do well but certainly no winner.

           

SONG – When the music dies

ARTIST – Sabina Babayeva.

COMPOSERS - Anders Bagge, Stefan Örn, Johan Kronlund, Sandra Bjurman

LANGUAGE – English

UPDATE 8

SLOVENIA – Maja Keuc has released a video to go with her song “No One” The video has a very strange narrative and at times I really don’t understand what is going on…. Maybe she doesn’t either…





BULGARIA
Poli Genova (now seemingly going under the name Polly) has releases her offical video for "Na Inat". Although the main focus of the video is on her and the band it is intersperced by footage of natural disasters and the human cost.





LATVIA
Musiqq has released the video of "Angel in Disguise" The video sees the duo sitting down singing their song, seemingly in the same outfits they used in their preselection victory. Although a very simple (ie cheap) video, it does bring out the strength of Marats's modern vocals.





ARMENIA
Emmy has released the video for "Boom Boom" The video has a boxing theme and some of the action makes place in a boxing ring. I am not really to sure about the dancing and will be very surprised to see anything like this on the night.





AZERBAIJAN
After (another) name change Eldar and Nigar haverealsed the offical video to their song "Running Scared". The video was directed by the Estonian producer of the 2002 Eurovision contest and looks extremely professional. But will they be able to tranlate this onto the stage?

AZERBAIJAN

After a long delay the song for Azerbaijan was revealed on the 13th March. Ironically, ITV had had a mammoth selection process to select the participants to represent Azerbaijan, to which the professional jury surpusingly chose 2 winners - Nigar Camal & Eldar Qasimov , mow known as Ell & Nikki (Ell being the male and Nikki the female.) The song internally chosen for them to sing is called “Running Scared”.

The song is a very contemporary sounding ballad with so rock influences. The verses are quite short and lines are shared between the couple whilst the choruses are sung together. The chorus is very well structured. Usually these kinds of octave moving change can bee very jerky, but this one makes it really stand out. As the song progresses the beat in the background gets stronger but the finish is very weak as the song just kind of stops. Ironically the song is about 12 seconds under so a more memorable finish could be made. As the song progresses you realise that most of the song is sung by Ell. His voice is much more reliable and stronger than hers.

The video is very simple and I suspect that the setting of the ESC performance will be simple too. There will need to be at least 2 backing singers and possibly some dancers to ‘act out’ the story of the song. In addition to this the video tries to make them work together as a couple (considering she is about 10 years his senior… or thereabouts :oP ) There are no other duets in the contest to I feel it will definitely stand out visually.

A much better song than last year. A definite finalist.

SINGER – Ell and Nikki
SONG – Running Scared
MUSIC –
WORDS –