Azerbaijan’s Eurovision 2013 entry selected
By Nigar Orujova
Azerbaijan, the host country of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012, has chosen its entry for the forthcoming Eurovision-2013 contest to be held in Malmo, Sweden on May 18.
Eurovision is an annual competition held among many of the active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union.
Singer Farid Mammadov, by jury's solid vote, was deemed the most talented among other ten contesters at the grand final show of the national selection held on March 14.
"I am excited like never before. I want to express my gratitude to all who encouraged me in the final. I am very happy at the moment," Farid said at a press conference held after the final ceremony.
To win the competition, Farid provided an emotive and sensitive performance of a Hold Me song, a romantic ballad composed by Dimitrios Kontopoulos, who previously produced Eurovision songs for Ani Lorak, Sakis Rouvas and had 27 number one hits in Greek national airplay charts.
Eurovision 2011 winner Eldar Qasimov, last year`s participant Sabina Babayeva and famous Azerbaijani artist Tunzala Aghayeva also attended the final show.
During eight months, 80 applicants competed in eight subgroups in the national selection to represent the country at one of the most famous song contests of Europe.
Participants performed Eurovision hits, worldwide famous hits, Azerbaijani pop music and folk songs during the contest. In each subgroup, the audience and jury chose the winner, who then qualified for the grand final.
21 year-old Farid, lead singer of the Bulbuller ensemble, studied in the class of Azerbaijani honorary artist Aybeniz Gashimova.
Now, Farid is a student of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts and works at the Baku Jazz Center.
Farid started his professional music career at the age of eight when he sang I Just Called to Say I Love You by Steve Wonder at his very first concert. His performance was a huge hit and since then, as he says, Steve Wonder has made a major influence on his musical development.
Farid also writes songs and during the semi-final of the national selection, he performed his own song Gel Yanima (Come To Me).
Farid also attended master classes held by world-famous singer Robertino Loreti in Baku in November 2012.
"I have visited many festivals, have heard many young singers in a number of countries of the world, but I've never heard a voice like Farid Mammadov has. Stunning voice! He will have a bright future," Loreti said then.
After directly qualifying for the final last year in Baku as the host nation, this year Azerbaijan will perform in the second Semi-Final to be held at the Malm Arena.
Azerbaijan debuted at the ESC in 2008 and won the event on its fourth attempt in 2011 with Ell and Nikki's Running Scared song, which brought the contest to Baku in 2012.
The ESC is broadcasting every year since its inauguration in 1956 and thus became one of the longest-running television programs in the world. It is also one of the most watched non-sporting events in the world, with some 100 million to 600 million audiences internationally. Since 2000, ESC can be seen online.