Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest
This article deals with the history of Azerbaijan as participants in the Euro Vision Song Contest.
Regularity of participation
Azerbaijan took part in 2008 in Belgrade for the first time and since then, every year on the Euro Vision Song Contest. The lead broadcaster is the public ITV. 2007, the private station AZTV expressed a desire to send a contribution for Azerbaijan. Since AZTV was not a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU ), no participation came about. With the accession of ITV for EBU in the second half of 2007, a participation of Azerbaijan in 2008 was possible. In addition to Azerbaijan and the other two Caucasus republics participated in the ESC, with Armenia in 2006 and Georgia in 2007 for the first time were there.
Success in competition
When Euro Vision Song Contest in Belgrade Azerbaijan reached the eighth place with 132 points in the final of the Euro Vision Song Contest. Twelve points received by Turkey and Azerbaijan from Hungary. In the following years, a top ten placement was achieved: In Moscow, a third, a fifth place in Oslo and in the fourth part, 2011 in Dusseldorf even the first place. 2012 reached one fourth place and one year later place.
Since the first participation of Azerbaijan always got 12 points from Turkey and Azerbaijan were always 12 points to Turkey. In the years 2011 and 2013 this was not possible, since Turkey was eliminated in the semifinals in 2011 and 2013, Turkey did not participate. Instead, they placed in the two years, the twelve points to Ukraine.
Since the 17th place in Greece in 2012 Azerbaijan is the only country which can be found at each participating since the introduction of the semifinals in the top ten countries, the top 10. Curiously, all placements 1-5 reached the country since 2009 exactly once.
List of posts
Color legend: - Victories. - A tie to the last place. - Contributions finals.
Preliminary decisions
During his participation Azerbaijan has used different preliminary decision systems. On February 2, 2008 occurred in the preliminary Land of Fire, which was also seen in Georgia, Lithuania and Turkey on television, three artists with two songs on. A jury selected Elnur Huseynov out as the winner, his song he would choose himself. He chose the song Day After Day ( a duet with Samir Cavadzadə ) the Euro Vision Song Contest 2008 to sing, which he already sang at the preliminary decision.
2009, the singer Aysel Teymurzadə was selected after auditions. In an internal selection, the station opted for the title Always, a duet with Arash.
2010, six artists were selected for the semi-finals after auditions. Three of them, namely Səfurə Əlizadə, the group Milk and Kisses and Məryəm Sabanova, qualified for the final in which they introduced the title Drip Drop, Soulless and Under My Skin. A jury first determined the winner and Safura Drip Drop chose later than Azerbaijani contribution. Among the semi-finalists, there was also Elvira Michieva, ex- member of the German girl group Bisou.
2011 was held under the title Milli Secim Turu a talent show with seven preliminary rounds à eleven singers instead. From each, the winner qualified, as well as from all semifinals two other candidates for a semi-final. For the nine remaining five artists were selected for the finals. A jury decided Nigar Camal and Eldar Qasımov as a duo for the Euro Vision Song Contest to nominate 2011. Your contribution Running Scared was selected as the year later. This system was used in 2012.
2013, at least the final show of Milli Secim Turu was fundamentally changed, since now the audience the songs were already presented at this time and a jury the contribution and related artists chose, in this case, Farid Mammadov with his song Hold Me
For 2014, the first time the talent show Böyük tendon was used as a preliminary decision. Through three casting shows the last three finalists were selected. It won Dilara Kazimova. The Beiträg is internally selected and presented on March 15.
Languages
Since the first participation of Azerbaijan has sung every time in English and is adjacent to Belarus is the only country that has never contributed an article in the local language.