Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011

Azerbaijan won the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany with the entry "Running Scared".[1]

Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Country Azerbaijan
National selection
Selection processArtist: Milli Seçim Turu 2011
Song: Internal selection
Selection date(s)Heats:
15 November–31 December 2010
Semi-final:
10–14 January 2011
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

Milli Seçim Turu 2011 was the national final organised by İctimai Television (İTV) that selected Azerbaijan's entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011. The competition commenced on 15 November 2010 and concluded with a winning artist on 11 February 2011.

Format

The format of the competition consisted of nine shows: seven weekly heats, each held across five days between 15 November and 31 December 2010, a semi-final held across five days between 10 and 14 January 2011 and the final on 11 February 2011. During the heats and the semi-final, each contestant performed a foreign song on Monday, an Azerbaijani song on Tuesday, a former Eurovision song on Wednesday and a song of their choice on Thursday. The contestants that proceeded in the competition were announced on Friday.[2]

The results of the heats and the semi-final were determined by the 50/50 combination of votes from a jury panel and a public vote through telephone and SMS voting. The winning contestant of each heat proceeded to the semi-final, while the jury had the right to select contestants out of the remaining non-qualifying contestants from both semi-finals to proceeded to the semi-final. In the semi-final, the top four contestants proceeded to the final. In the final, a jury vote exclusively determined the winner from the remaining four contestants. The heats and the semi-final took place at the İTV studios in Baku, hosted by Husniye Maharramova and Leyla Aliyeva, while the final took place at the Akhundov Azerbaijan State Academic Opera & Ballet Theater in Baku and hosted by Leyla Aliyeva.

Competing artists

İTV called for interested artists to apply for the competition starting from 6 October 2010. Eligible artists were those that were citizens of Azerbaijan or part of the Azerbaijani diaspora, and must stand out for their "beautiful voice, dance ability and stage culture".[3] 120 applications were received and 77 contestants were selected for the competition.[4][5] Among the selected contestants was Ilgara Kazimova, daughter of the renowned Azerbaijani pop singer Aygun Kazimova.[6]

Heat 1

The first heat took place between 15 and 19 November 2010 and featured ten contestants. Tarik Yigit only participated in the first day of the first heat and therefore was disqualified. Chingiz Mustafayev was selected to proceed to the semi-final.

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 — —
7 Ulviyya Abbasova 3 8
8 Gulchohra Babayeva 2 9
9 Next 8 3
10 Zulfunaz Rajabova 7 4

Heat 2

The second heat took place between 22 and 26 November 2010 and featured eleven contestants. Nurlan Novrasli was selected to proceed to the semi-final.

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 11
9 Shola Safaraliyeva 6 5
10 Ulviyya Talishinskaya 1 10
11 Nurlan Novrasli 12 1

Heat 3

The third heat took place between 29 November and 3 December 2010 and featured eleven contestants. Günay Ibrahimli was selected to proceed to the semi-final. On 6 December 2010, Nicola Barclay selected as a jury wildcard and therefore was to also proceed to the semi-final, however she later withdrew due to illness and changes in the competition format.[7][8]

Draw Artist Points Place
1 Dilshan Ibadova 3 8
2 Günay 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

The fourth heat took place between 6 and 10 December 2010 and featured eleven contestants. Arzum Khalilova was selected to proceed to the semi-final.

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

The fifth heat took place between 13 and 17 December 2010 and featured eleven contestants. Aynishan Quliyeva was selected to proceed to the semi-final.

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

The sixth heat took place between 20 and 24 December 2010 and featured ten contestants. Ilgara Ibrahimova was selected to proceed to the semi-final. On 24 December 2010, Eldar Gasimov was selected as a jury wildcard and therefore also proceeded to the semi-final.[9]

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

The sixth heat took place between 20 and 24 December 2010 and featured twelve contestants. Ilhama Gasimova was selected to proceed to the semi-final. On 31 December 2010, Nigar Jamal was selected as a jury wildcard and therefore also proceeded to the semi-final.[10]

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

The semi-final took place between 10 and 14 January 2011 and featured the seven winners of the heats alongside the two jury wildcards. Aynishan Quliyeva, Ilgara Ibrahimova, Eldar Gasimov, Ilhama Gasimova and Nigar Jamal were selected to proceed to the final.[11][12]

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 took place on 11 February 2011 and featured the five qualifiers from the semi-final. Nigar Jamal and Eldar Gasimov were selected as the winners, and would represent Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 as a duet.

Draw Artist
1 Nigar Jamal
2 Aynishan Quliyeva
3 Ilgara Ibrahimova
4 Eldar Gasimov
5 Ilhama Gasimova

Song selection

Songwriters of any nationality were able to submit their entries to the broadcaster between 11 January 2011 and 10 February 2011.[13] 21 submissions were received from local and international songwriters as of 25 January 2011, and the song "Running Scared", written by Stefan Örn, Sandra Bjurman and Iain Farquharson, was selected based on the decision of a national jury panel.[14]

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.[15] 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.[16]

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

[17]

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. Eurovision 2011 "Champions' League" to Take Off in Azerbaijan. Day.az. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  3. 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.
  4. "AZERBAIJAN - Update on Azeri selection; 77 proceed". Oikotimes.com. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  5. "AZERBAIJAN - Ictamai gets 120 submissions for national selection". Oikotimes. 19 October 2010. Archived from the original on 30 December 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  6. Daughter of Prominent Azerbaijani Singer Preparing for Eurovision. Day.az. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  7. "Azerbaijan: Nikola Barkley, wildcard in the final". EscToday.com. 6 December 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
  8. "AZERBAIJAN - Scottish singer pulls out of the race". Oikotimes.com. 11 January 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  9. Azerbaijan: Ilgara Ibrahimova to the final, Eldar Gasimov - wildcard.
  10. "Azerbaijan: Ilhame Gasinova and Nigar Jamal to the final". EscToday.com. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  11. "Eurovision hopeful meets her Waterloo". The Scotsman. 8 January 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  12. Date for Next Azerbaijan Eurovision 2011 Battle Determined. Day.az. 4 January 2011.
  13. "Azerbaijan: Ictimai TV call for songs". esctoday.com. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  14. Azerbaijan to Perform in Semifinal 1 Archived 2011-07-10 at the Wayback Machine. I.Asad. Echo. 25 January 2011.
  15. Bruce, Walker. "Blue can't but Ell and Nikki can". Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  16. Bakker, Sietse (2011-05-26). "EBU reveals split televoting and jury results". European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  17. Eurovision Song Contest 2011
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