Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011

Azerbaijan won the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany with the entry "Running Scared".

Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Country Azerbaijan
National selection
Selection processMilli Seçim Turu 2011
Selection date(s)Heats:
15 November – 31 December 2010
Semifinal:
10 – 14 January 2011
National Final:
11 February 2011
Selected entrantEll & Nikki
Selected song"Running Scared"
Finals performance
Semi-final resultQualified (2nd, 122 points)
Final result1st, 221 points
Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2010 • 2011 • 2012►

Before Eurovision

Milli Seçim Turu 2011

A few days after the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in Bærum, İctimai TV announced the Azerbaijani participation in Düsseldorf.[1]

Format

On 6 October 2010, İctimai TV announced their selection process for Eurovision 2011. In the preliminary phase of the national selection, İctimai chose 100 hopefuls to participate in the process. The broadcaster called for participants that must stand out for their "beautiful voice, dance ability and stage culture".[2] On 19 October 2010, İctimai TV announced that they had received 120 submissions for national selection.[3] One of the candidates is 20-year-old Ilgara Kazimova, daughter of the renowned Azerbaijani pop singer Aygun Kazimova.[4] The candidates also included previous years' applicants: Azad Shabanov, Aynishan Quliyeva, teenage quartet Next, Chingiz Mustafayev, Arzum, and Seyran Ismayilkhanov who resides in Germany, as well as Elnur Hüseynov who represented Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 as part of a duo having been placed eighth.[5] Other first-time contestants are Khayyam Nisanov, Nurlan Novrasli, Khayyam Mustafazadeh,[6] Khana Hasanova, Sabina Babayeva, Diana Hajiyeva, Sevinj Aghashirinova,[5] and others. Submissions came from abroad, including Nigar Jamal and Nicola Barclay from the United Kingdom,[7][8][9] Tarik Yigit from Turkey, Sultan Mashadiyev and Tahir Guliyev from Russia and Gunay Alakbarova from Finland.[10]

In November 2010, İctimai TV released more information on their selection. 77 people would be fighting for the ticket to Eurovision in Germany. 11 participants would appear on air every week. By the end of each week the jurors and the audience would select the only participant who would advance to the final, where seven singers would compete.[11] The candidates would perform a foreign song on Monday, an Azerbaijani song on Tuesday, a Eurovision entry on Wednesday, a song of their choice on Thursday, and on Friday the winner would be determined.[12]

Televised heats

Heat 1
Heat 1 – 15-19 November 2010
Draw Artist Points Place
1 Khana Hasanova 4 7
2 Aygun Ismayilova 6 5
3 Adil Bakhishli 10 2
4 Tofig "Mr. Toto" Hajiyev 5 6
5 Chingiz Mustafayev 12 1
6 Tarik Yigit 0 DNQ
7 Nurana Alasgarova 0 DNQ
8 Ulviyya Abbasova 3 8
9 Gulchohra Babayeva 2 9
10 Next 8 3
11 Zulfunaz Rajabova 7 4

Heat 2
Heat 2 – 22-26 November 2010
Draw Artist Points Place
1 East Groove 8 3
2 Fizza Nadirova 4 7
3 Sitara Nasirova 5 6
4 Emin Hasan 2 9
5 Nazrin Zarbaliyeva 3 8
6 Ulvi Rashidov 10 2
7 Gunay Alakbarova 7 4
8 Yegana Aghayeva 0 DNQ
9 Shola Safaraliyeva 6 5
10 Ulviyya Talishinskaya 1 10
11 Nurlan Novrasli 12 1

Heat 3

On 6 December 2010, Scottish singer Nicola Barclay, who came second in the third semi-final, was granted a place in the final as a wildcard. The jury decided that Nicola deserved another chance as they were "amazed" by her vocal skills.[13] However, due to changes in format and her illness Nicola Barclay was forced to pull out of the competition.[14]

Heat 3 – 29 November-3 December 2010
Draw Artist Points Place
1 Dilshan Ibadova 3 8
2 Gunay Ibrahimli 12 1
3 Khayyam Nisanov 8 3
4 Sevinj Aghashirinova 5 6
5 Kanan Gadimov 6 5
6 Nigar Babayeva 2 9
7 Orkhan Aghayev 7 4
8 Farid Mammadov 1 10
9 Nazir Aghayev 0 11
10 Nicola Barclay 10 2
11 Rinat Alimov 4 7

Heat 4
Heat 4 – 6-9 December 2010
Draw Artist Points Place
1 Said Ismayilzadeh 1 10
2 Aydan Rustamova 10 2
3 Arzum Khalilova 12 1
4 Emilia Yagubova 3 8
5 Ramin Guliyev 4 7
6 Chinara Nazarli 5 6
7 Milan Mammadov 2 9
8 Sabina Babayeva 8 3
9 Rahima Hasanalizadeh 6 5
10 Leyla Dadashova 0 11
11 Javanshir Hajiyev 7 4

Heat 5
Heat 5 – 13-17 December 2010
Draw Artist Points Place
1 Empathy 3 8
2 Elmar Asgarov 2 9
3 Altun Zeynalov 5 6
4 Emin Nasirli 10 2
5 Janana Zeynalova 1 10
6 Rovshan Jivishov 7 4
7 Jamila Hashimova 8 3
8 Aynishan Quliyeva 12 1
9 Gulnar Nabi-Chingiz 4 7
10 Dinara Jafarova 0 11
11 Orkhan Israfilov 6 5

Heat 6

On 24 December 2010, Eldar Gasimov was granted the wildcard and won a right to compete in the final.[15] In the final, seventh semi-final, Nigar Jamal received the third and final wildcard, also granting her a place in the final which would now involve 10 people and not 7, as planned originally.[16]

Heat 6 – 20-24 December 2010
Draw Artist Points Place
1 Ilgara Ibrahimova 12 1
2 Eldar Gasimov 10 2
3 Seyran Ismayilkhanov 6 5
4 Leyla Idrisova 4 7
5 Rustam Allazov 5 6
6 Sultan Mashadiyev 3 8
7 Elyana Ahmadova 8 3
8 Fuad Mustafazadeh 1 10
9 Sarkhan Mammadov 2 9
10 Diana Hajiyeva 7 4

Heat 7
Heat 7 – 27-31 December 2010
Draw Artist Points Place
1 Orkhan Nasibov 0 12
2 Sabina Mammadova 6 6
3 Habil Ahmadov 1 11
4 Sadikh Aghamaliyev 3 9
5 Nigar Dargahzadeh 7 5
6 Ilhama Gasimova 12 1
7 Davud Asgarli 4 8
8 Lala Aliyeva 5 7
9 Tahir Guliyev 2 10
10 Gunay Ahmadova 8 4
11 Azad Shabanov 10 3
12 Nigar Jamal 12 2

Semi-final

On 4 January 2011, representative of Azerbaijan's official Eurovision broadcaster Ictimai TV Natig Abdullayev announced changes to the original plan of holding the final among winners of the seven semi-finals. From 10 January to 14 January 2011, 9 acts competed in the semi-final which televoting (50%) and an "expert" jury (50%) determined the 5 finalists.[17][18]

Semi-final – 10-14 January 2011
Draw Artist Result
1 Chingiz Mustafayev Eliminated
2 Nurlan Novrasli Eliminated
3 Gunay Ibrahimli Eliminated
4 Arzum Khalilova Eliminated
5 Aynishan Quliyeva Finalist
6 Ilgara Ibrahimova Finalist
7 Eldar Gasimov Finalist
8 Ilhama Gasimova Finalist
9 Nigar Jamal Finalist

Final

The final was held on 11 February 2011 at the Akhundov Azerbaijan State Academic Opera & Ballet Theater in Baku, hosted by Leyla Aliyeva. The winners were chosen by an "expert" jury who decided to send Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal to represent Azerbaijan as a duo at Eurovision 2011.

Final - 11 February 2011
Draw Artist
1 Nigar Jamal
2 Aynishan Quliyeva
3 Ilgara Ibrahimova
4 Eldar Gasimov
5 Ilhama Gasimova

Song selection

On 11 January, the organising committee of Eurovision Azerbaijan announced a call for submissions for the song that would be performed by the Azerbaijani representative. Both national and foreign composers were invited to submit their songs, and one song would be chosen by an internal committee.[19][20] As of 25 January 2011, the organising committee had received 15 submissions, coming mostly from Azerbaijan, as well as from Spain, Greece, Romania, and Australia.[21]

At Eurovision

Azerbaijan competed under number 18 in the second half of the first semi-final of the contest, on 10 May, and qualified for the final. They went on to win it with 221 points.[22] A later review of the split voting showed that the juries placed Azerbaijan second (behind Italy), but that the televoting carried the song through to first.[23]

With their entry only receiving 5.14 points per country, Azerbaijan holds the record of the lowest average score for a winning song under the previous voting system (in place from 1975 to 2015). Since the introduction of semi-finals and of the split jury-televoting system, they are also the third winner not to achieve first place in their semi-final (which was won by Greece), and not winning according to the juries' ranking (which placed Italy first).

Split results
  • In the Semi-final 1 Azerbaijan came 2nd with 122 points: the public awarded Azerbaijan 2nd place with 124 points and the jury awarded also 2nd place with 109 points.
  • In the Final Azerbaijan came 1st with 221 points: the public awarded Azerbaijan 1st place with 223 points and the jury awarded 2nd place with 182 points.

Points awarded to Azerbaijan
Points awarded to Azerbaijan (semi-final 1)
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
Points awarded to Azerbaijan (final)
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

Points awarded by Azerbaijan[24]
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See also

References
  1. Halliwell, Mits (31 May 2010). "EUROVISION 2011 - 14 countries already confirm participation for 2011". Oikotimes. Archived from the original on June 5, 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
  2. Hondal, Victor (6 October 2010). "Azerbaijan kicks off Eurovision 2011 selection". EscToday.com. Archived from the original on 9 October 2010. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  3. "AZERBAIJAN - Ictamai gets 120 submissions for national selection". Oikotimes. 19 October 2010. Archived from the original on 30 December 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  4. Daughter of Prominent Azerbaijani Singer Preparing for Eurovision. Day.az. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  5. Vüqar Vüqarlı. Some Thoughts on the Azerbaijani Selection Process for Eurosivion 2010. Day.az. 8 November 2010.
  6. Who Will Go to Dusseldorf? Archived 2011-07-25 at the Wayback Machine. Zerkalo. 5 November 2010.
  7. Azerbaijani Composer's Duet to Fight for Ticket to Eurosivion 2010 Archived 2010-11-05 at the Wayback Machine. Vesti.az. 4 November 2010.
  8. An Unexpected Duet in Azerbaijani Eurosivion Selection. Day.az. 5 November 2010.
  9. National Selection 2011: Nicola Louise Barclay. Eurovisionaz.com.
  10. American Singer Applied to Represent Azerbaijan in Eurovision?. Day.az. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  11. "AZERBAIJAN - Update on Azeri selection; 77 proceed". Oikotimes.com. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  12. Eurovision 2011 "Champions' League" to Take Off in Azerbaijan. Day.az. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  13. "Azerbaijan: Nikola Barkley, wildcard in the final". EscToday.com. 6 December 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  14. "AZERBAIJAN - Scottish singer pulls out of the race". Oikotimes.com. 11 January 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  15. Azerbaijan: Ilgara Ibrahimova to the final, Eldar Gasimov - wildcard.
  16. "Azerbaijan: Ilhame Gasinova and Nigar Jamal to the final". EscToday.com. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  17. "Eurovision hopeful meets her Waterloo". The Scotsman. 8 January 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  18. Date for Next Azerbaijan Eurovision 2011 Battle Determined. Day.az. 4 January 2011.
  19. "Azerbaijan: Ictimai TV call for songs". esctoday.com. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  20. Ictimai TV call for songs. ESC Today. 12 January 2011.
  21. Azerbaijan to Perform in Semifinal 1 Archived 2011-07-10 at the Wayback Machine. I.Asad. Echo. 25 January 2011.
  22. Bruce, Walker. "Blue can't but Ell and Nikki can". Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  23. Bakker, Sietse (2011-05-26). "EBU reveals split televoting and jury results". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  24. Eurovision Song Contest 2011
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