Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010
Encyclopedia
Azerbaijan was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 by 17 year old singer Safura Alizadeh
, selected from an open casting call for artists and a national final. She performed the song "Drip Drop
" at the contest, held in Bærum
, Norway
, and finished 5th in the final. Azerbaijanian broadcaster İctimai Televiziya və Radio Yayımları Şirkəti (İTV) selected the song on 18 March.
had finished İTV released information of the selection of the 2010 Azerbaijani entry. Two separate open calls for songs and artists were held to select the song and artists to represent Azerbaijan at the 2010 Contest
.
The first phase of the selection entailed submissions by interested artists to compete in the selection. Artists wishing to participate had to submit a karaoke
version of the songs they wanted to take part with in the selection procedure, one of which had to be a ballad and the other an uptempo song. The artists' dancing, acting and foreign language abilities were also used in selecting the singer for the Contest. There were no restrictions to either the nationality of the composer, or the language of the song.
Around 20 candidates expressed their interest in representing Azerbaijan at Eurovision 2010 by 8 July 2009. Among them was the winner of the last season of the Yeni Ulduz musical talent competition Safura Alizadeh, as well as young participants of other musical contests, such as Azad Shabanov, Chingiz Mustafayev and Huseyn Abdullayev, and Sumqayit
band Sevan Uraklar.
From a total of 30 candidates, İTV selected six artists to take part in the contest after being assessed by local and foreign specialists. The semi-final was held on 2 February at the Buta Palace
in Baku
. Three acts will qualify to the final, which will be held in late February 2010. The winner of the contest will be chosen by 100% jury vote. İTV announced the six songs selected for the contest on 30 January, all of which are performed in English.
. Three acts were selected from the six artist line-up by a jury to the final.
The contest began with a solo performance by last year's Azerbaijani entry AySel
, who placed third in Eurovision 2009
with Arash with the song "Always". Afterwards Eurovision Song Contest 2004
winner Ruslana
performed many of her hits: "Dance with the Wolves
"; "The Girl That Rules"; "The Same Star
"; and her Eurovision winning song "Wild Dances
", introduced by an oriental bellydance performance.
After the competing performances, Eurovision 2009 winner Alexander Rybak
performed some of his hits, including a cover version of "Can't Take My Eyes off You
" and a Russian-English version of his Eurovision winning song "Fairytale
".
The three qualifying acts were Milk & Kisses, Safura Alizadeh and Maryam Shabanova. However the competing songs may not be used in the final, and may be changed for others.
performed one song in the contest, selected by an open call by İTV. The head of the Azerbaijani delegation, Adil Karimli, has reported that about ten composers have expressed their interest in the contest, all of whom are non-Azerbaijani. However it has been reported by APA
that the composer has already been selected, and that American
producer Timbaland
will compose the song.
On 19 February Adil Karimli confirmed that the national final would be held on 2 March, again held at the Buta Palace in Baku
. The three finalists would perform five songs between them, composed by foreign authors and recorded recently in Kiev
, Ukraine
. The four songs were: "Drip Drop" and "Under My Skin", performed by all three acts; "Soulless", performed by Safura Alizadeh
and Maryam Shabanova; "Cancelled", performed by Milk and Kisses; and "Don't Let The Morning Come".
The Georgian
entry for the 2010 Contest Sopho Nizharadze, and AySel
, part of last year's Azerbaijani entry, were guests at the final, with Nizharadze performing her entry "Shine
" for the Azerbaijani public.
A seven-member jury selected Safura Alizadeh
as the Azerbaijani entry for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest. On 18 March İTV selected "Drip Drop
", written by Stefan Örn
and Sandra Bjurman, as the Azerbajanian song, after deliberation over which song to send to Eurovision from the three performed by Safura at the final, or to choose a new song.
and preceding Ukraine's Sweet People
, and qualified for the final, to be held on Saturday 29 May 2010.
Safura Alizadeh
Safura Alizadeh is an Azerbaijani singer and saxophonist. Alizadeh took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, where she brought Azerbaijan on 5th place, with song "Drip Drop". She later released her debut album It's My War, which made its way into several European countries...
, selected from an open casting call for artists and a national final. She performed the song "Drip Drop
Drip Drop
"Drip Drop" is a song by Azerbaijani singer Safura Alizadeh, written by Anders Bagge, Stefan Örn and Sandra Bjurman, and represented Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in May 2010. Alizadeh's song was selected by a jury from the Azeri broadcaster İctimai Televiziya və Radio Yayımları...
" at the contest, held in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and finished 5th in the final. Azerbaijanian broadcaster İctimai Televiziya və Radio Yayımları Şirkəti (İTV) selected the song on 18 March.
Land of Fire 2010
Shortly after the 2009 ContestEurovision Song Contest 2009
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and was hosted by Russia after their win in 2008. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
had finished İTV released information of the selection of the 2010 Azerbaijani entry. Two separate open calls for songs and artists were held to select the song and artists to represent Azerbaijan at the 2010 Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 2010
The Eurovision Song Contest 2010 was the 55th annual Eurovision Song Contest, broadcast from the Telenor Arena in Bærum, Greater Oslo, Norway. It was the third time Norway had hosted the contest, having previously done so in 1986 and 1996. The 2010 winner was Germany with Lena singing "Satellite",...
.
The first phase of the selection entailed submissions by interested artists to compete in the selection. Artists wishing to participate had to submit a karaoke
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
version of the songs they wanted to take part with in the selection procedure, one of which had to be a ballad and the other an uptempo song. The artists' dancing, acting and foreign language abilities were also used in selecting the singer for the Contest. There were no restrictions to either the nationality of the composer, or the language of the song.
Around 20 candidates expressed their interest in representing Azerbaijan at Eurovision 2010 by 8 July 2009. Among them was the winner of the last season of the Yeni Ulduz musical talent competition Safura Alizadeh, as well as young participants of other musical contests, such as Azad Shabanov, Chingiz Mustafayev and Huseyn Abdullayev, and Sumqayit
Sumqayit
Sumgayit is one of the largest cities in Azerbaijan, located near the Caspian Sea, about 31 kilometres away from the capital, Baku. The city has a population of 308,700 , making it the third-largest city in Azerbaijan after the capital Baku and Ganja. The city has a territory of 83 km². It...
band Sevan Uraklar.
From a total of 30 candidates, İTV selected six artists to take part in the contest after being assessed by local and foreign specialists. The semi-final was held on 2 February at the Buta Palace
Buta Palace
The Buta Palace is one of the principal performing arts centers and music venues of Baku. It consists of two event halls and adjacent parking lot for 800 cars. The greater hall is a caravanserai-stylized venue, capable of accommodating about 2,000 visitors. The minor hall is designed for...
in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
. Three acts will qualify to the final, which will be held in late February 2010. The winner of the contest will be chosen by 100% jury vote. İTV announced the six songs selected for the contest on 30 January, all of which are performed in English.
Semi-final
The semi-final was held on 2 February at the Buta Palace in BakuBaku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
. Three acts were selected from the six artist line-up by a jury to the final.
The contest began with a solo performance by last year's Azerbaijani entry AySel
Aysel Teymurzadeh
-Biography:Aysel was born in the Azerbaijani capital Baku, the youngest of the three daughters of a journalist and a university professor. She is a descendant of the nineteenth-century Azerbaijani publicist Hasan bey Zardabi. Her grandmother on her mother's side was half-Russian, half-Ukrainian...
, who placed third in Eurovision 2009
Eurovision Song Contest 2009
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and was hosted by Russia after their win in 2008. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
with Arash with the song "Always". Afterwards Eurovision Song Contest 2004
Eurovision Song Contest 2004
The Eurovision Song Contest 2004, was the 49th Contest and it was held in the Abdi İpekçi Arena in Istanbul, Turkey. This was the first occasion in which the contest was held in Turkey after they had won the competition in 2003 with Sertab Erener singing "Everyway That I Can"...
winner Ruslana
Ruslana
Ruslana Stepanivna Lyzhychko is a World Music Award winning and MTV Europe Music Award nominated artist, and the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004....
performed many of her hits: "Dance with the Wolves
Dance with the Wolves
"Dance with the Wolves" is one of Ukrainian singer Ruslana's singles, released in 2005.Two music videos were made for the song. During the shootings, Ruslana had to be in a cage with wild wolves. One of the videoclips includes frames shot during the Orange revolution in which Ruslana took an active...
"; "The Girl That Rules"; "The Same Star
The Same Star
"The Same Star" is a single by Ruslana, featured on her 2004 studio album Wild Dances. The arrangement and recording were done by EGO WORKS /HIT FACTORY, Miami, USA.Ruslana devoted The Same Star to her husband, the love of her life....
"; and her Eurovision winning song "Wild Dances
Wild Dances (song)
"Wild Dances" is the name of the song by Ukrainian pop-star Ruslana Lyzhichko . "Wild Dances" was the winning song in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in Turkey....
", introduced by an oriental bellydance performance.
After the competing performances, Eurovision 2009 winner Alexander Rybak
Alexander Rybak
Alexander Igoryevich Rybak or in Belarusian Alyaksandr Igaravich Rybak , born 13 May 1986 in Byelorussian SSR is a Norwegian singer-composer, violinist, pianist, writer, and actor...
performed some of his hits, including a cover version of "Can't Take My Eyes off You
Can't Take My Eyes off You
"Can't Take My Eyes Off You" is a 1967 single by Frankie Valli. The song was among Valli's biggest hits, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning a gold record. It was Valli's biggest "solo" hit until he hit #1 in 1975 with "My Eyes Adored You"...
" and a Russian-English version of his Eurovision winning song "Fairytale
Fairytale (Alexander Rybak song)
"Fairytale" is a song written and composed by Norwegian violinist/singer Alexander Rybak, and the first single from Rybak's debut album Fairytales...
".
The three qualifying acts were Milk & Kisses, Safura Alizadeh and Maryam Shabanova. However the competing songs may not be used in the final, and may be changed for others.
| Draw | Artist | Song | Lyrics (l) / Music (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milk & Kisses | "I Am On Fire" | Dilara Kazimova (m & l), Farida Nelson (m), DJ LOOPer (l) |
| 2 | Elli Mishiyeva | "Up, Up" | Isa Malikov (m), Paulina Malikova (l), Elli Mishiyeva (l) |
| 3 | Azad Shabanov | "Smile" | Zahra Badalbeyli (m), Vusal Garayev (l) |
| 4 | Ulviyya Rahimova | "In Love" | Ulviyya Rahimova (m), Sergey Guliyev (l) |
| 5 | Safura Alizadeh Safura Alizadeh Safura Alizadeh is an Azerbaijani singer and saxophonist. Alizadeh took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, where she brought Azerbaijan on 5th place, with song "Drip Drop". She later released her debut album It's My War, which made its way into several European countries... |
"Soz ver" | Elvin Musayev (m), Gunel Musayeva (l), Zahra Badalbeyli (l) |
| 6 | Maryam Shabanova | "I've Had Enough" | Maryam Shabanova (m & l) |
Final
The final was held on 2 March. The three qualifying artists - Milk & Kisses, Maryam Shabanova and Safura Alizadeh - eachperformed one song in the contest, selected by an open call by İTV. The head of the Azerbaijani delegation, Adil Karimli, has reported that about ten composers have expressed their interest in the contest, all of whom are non-Azerbaijani. However it has been reported by APA
Azerbaijan Press Agency
The Azerbaijan Press Agency is one of the chief news agencies in Azerbaijan. The agency is an independent private limited liability company founded in 2004....
that the composer has already been selected, and that American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
producer Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
will compose the song.
On 19 February Adil Karimli confirmed that the national final would be held on 2 March, again held at the Buta Palace in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
. The three finalists would perform five songs between them, composed by foreign authors and recorded recently in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The four songs were: "Drip Drop" and "Under My Skin", performed by all three acts; "Soulless", performed by Safura Alizadeh
Safura Alizadeh
Safura Alizadeh is an Azerbaijani singer and saxophonist. Alizadeh took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, where she brought Azerbaijan on 5th place, with song "Drip Drop". She later released her debut album It's My War, which made its way into several European countries...
and Maryam Shabanova; "Cancelled", performed by Milk and Kisses; and "Don't Let The Morning Come".
The Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
entry for the 2010 Contest Sopho Nizharadze, and AySel
Aysel
Aysel is a common feminine Turkish given name. In Turkish, "Aysel" means "moonbeam" .-People:* Aysel Gürel, Turkish lyricist* Aysel Teymurzadeh, Azerbaijani pop and R&B singer* Aysel Tuğluk, Kurdish politician...
, part of last year's Azerbaijani entry, were guests at the final, with Nizharadze performing her entry "Shine
Shine (Sopho Nizharadze song)
"Shine" is a song composed by Hanne Sørvaag, Harry Sommerdahl and Christian Leuzzi and performed by Sopho Nizharadze, and represented Georgia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. The song was selected on 27 February from six songs performed by Nizharadze, with a public televote and a professional...
" for the Azerbaijani public.
A seven-member jury selected Safura Alizadeh
Safura Alizadeh
Safura Alizadeh is an Azerbaijani singer and saxophonist. Alizadeh took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, where she brought Azerbaijan on 5th place, with song "Drip Drop". She later released her debut album It's My War, which made its way into several European countries...
as the Azerbaijani entry for the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest. On 18 March İTV selected "Drip Drop
Drip Drop
"Drip Drop" is a song by Azerbaijani singer Safura Alizadeh, written by Anders Bagge, Stefan Örn and Sandra Bjurman, and represented Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in May 2010. Alizadeh's song was selected by a jury from the Azeri broadcaster İctimai Televiziya və Radio Yayımları...
", written by Stefan Örn
Stefan Örn
Stefan Örn Stefan Örn Stefan Örn (Gällstads församling, Älvsborgs län, January 9 1975 is a Swedish music composer and guitarist. He is a member of the band Apollo Drive....
and Sandra Bjurman, as the Azerbajanian song, after deliberation over which song to send to Eurovision from the three performed by Safura at the final, or to choose a new song.
| Draw | Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Safura Alizadeh Safura Alizadeh Safura Alizadeh is an Azerbaijani singer and saxophonist. Alizadeh took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, where she brought Azerbaijan on 5th place, with song "Drip Drop". She later released her debut album It's My War, which made its way into several European countries... |
"Drip Drop Drip Drop "Drip Drop" is a song by Azerbaijani singer Safura Alizadeh, written by Anders Bagge, Stefan Örn and Sandra Bjurman, and represented Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in May 2010. Alizadeh's song was selected by a jury from the Azeri broadcaster İctimai Televiziya və Radio Yayımları... " |
Stefan Örn, Sandra Bjurman |
| 2 | Safura Alizadeh Safura Alizadeh Safura Alizadeh is an Azerbaijani singer and saxophonist. Alizadeh took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, where she brought Azerbaijan on 5th place, with song "Drip Drop". She later released her debut album It's My War, which made its way into several European countries... |
"Under My Skin" | Stefan Örn, Sandra Bjurman |
| 3 | Safura Alizadeh Safura Alizadeh Safura Alizadeh is an Azerbaijani singer and saxophonist. Alizadeh took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, where she brought Azerbaijan on 5th place, with song "Drip Drop". She later released her debut album It's My War, which made its way into several European countries... |
"Soulless" | Anders Lundström |
| 4 | Milk and Kisses | "Under My Skin" | Stefan Örn, Sandra Bjurman |
| 5 | Milk and Kisses | "Drip Drop" | Stefan Örn, Sandra Bjurman |
| 6 | Milk and Kisses | "Cancelled" | Stefan Örn |
| 7 | Maryam Shabanova | "Under My Skin" | Stefan Örn, Sandra Bjurman |
| 8 | Maryam Shabanova | "Soulless" | Anders Lundström |
| 9 | Maryam Shabanova | "Drip Drop" | Stefan Örn, Sandra Bjurman |
At Eurovision
Azerbaijan competed in the second semi-final of the contest, on 27 May, seventh on the draw. "Drip Drop" was performed after Sweden's This is my lifeThis Is My Life (Anna Bergendahl song)
- Charts :-Release history :-External links:* - Youtube* - Youtube...
and preceding Ukraine's Sweet People
Sweet People
"Sweet People" is a song by Ukrainian singer Alyosha. It was the Ukrainian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in Oslo, Norway. At first, a song performed by Vasyl Lazarovich was intended to represent Ukraine at Eurovision, but a new national final was held due to the broadcasting network's...
, and qualified for the final, to be held on Saturday 29 May 2010.
Points awarded to Azerbaijan
| 12 points | 10 points | 8 points | 7 points | 6 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 points | 4 points | 3 points | 2 points | 1 point |
| 12 points | 10 points | 8 points | 7 points | 6 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 points | 4 points | 3 points | 2 points | 1 point |
Semi final 2
| 12 points | |
| 10 points | |
| 8 points | |
| 7 points | |
| 6 points | |
| 5 points | |
| 4 points | |
| 3 points | |
| 2 points | |
| 1 point | |
Final
| 12 points | |
| 10 points | |
| 8 points | |
| 7 points | |
| 6 points | |
| 5 points | |
| 4 points | |
| 3 points | |
| 2 points | |
| 1 point | |
External links
İTV Eurovision website- Safura Alizade - Participant at Eurovision 2010 from Azerbaijan - Official Web-Site.
- Drip Drop - Official Eurovision Song 2010 of Azerbaijani participant.