Tonight the grand final of the Azeri national selection named Böyük Səhnə was broadcast. Dilara Kazımova, Erkin Osmanlı and Xana Hasanova fought it out to win the ticket to Copenhagen. Each participant performed three songs specially written for tonight. Dilara Kazımova was the winner at the end of the night.
And so we come to the end of another lengthy Azeri selection process
with a brand new final. Recorded on Friday, the final of Böyük Səhnə which has replaced Milli Seçim
Turu, was shown tonight. Three participants would be
battling it out to go on to make their dreams come true in Copenhagen
this year. Our hosts from previous episodes, Hüsniye Maharramova and Tural Esadov guided us through the show. and the finalists were decided by a four
member panel consisting of Eldar Gasımov (2011 Eurovision Song Contest winner), Murad Arif (TV host), Tunzala Agayeva
(composer and singer), Mubariz Tagiyev (singer) and Zumruz Dadashzade
(professor at Baku Music Academy). The same jury was also decisive of Azeri representative name who would be participating at the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen this year.
The Show
Member of jury Eldar Gasımov, Tunzala Agayeva and Mubariz Tagiyev performed some of
their famous songs as for the interval act and as special guest appearances. Rustem Kerimov
who represented Azerbaijan at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest and Sabina Babayeva who participated at the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in Baku, also took
part as guest acts tonight. According to Sabina Babayeva last year a male represented this country at the contest and a female act would be better this year. She also favourited Dilara Kazımova at tonight’s Böyük Səhnə .
Round 1
The show started with an indie performance by Erkin Osmanli, singing a number which was also written by himself. The jury were commonly inspired by the song but they critised Erkin’s poor performance. At the result Erkin got 38 points in total from the juries.
Dilara Kazımova is an opera singer with a powerful voice and has graduated from both the Music Academy and Art Gymnasia, and she performed an opera song tonight. Interestingly the song was performed in front of a mock kitchen set where she baked some snack during the show. She received some positive feedback and received 40 points in total from the juries.
Xana Hasanova‘s song is written by her father which she believes will bring her the very best of luck tonight. The song was an uptempo pop tune which was performed with dancers and featured a set decorated with high blocks. The jury encouraged her telling that she made a right choice by picking this song for tonight’s show. But she also received criticism for moving too slowly on stage while performing such a uptempo number. She got the most points, 41 points in total by the juries at the end.
The results of round 1 are:
1. Xana Hasanova – 41 points
2. Dilara Kazımova – 40 points
3. Erkin Osmanlı – 38 points
Round 2
Dilara Kazımova showed us another epic performance as an opera star tonight. She tried to show us how to be prepared for an event in with a faux backstage set as her backdrop. Her jazz/blues song received great feedback from the audience as well as from the jury members. She got 46 points in total in round 2.
For her second act of round 2 Xana Hasanova chose to sing a classical ballad. She received some constructive feedback from the juries and earned 46 points in total.
Erkin Osmanlı was the last act of round 2. He performed an up tempo pop/rock song in leather jacket and pants with the support of three female dancers. Erkin was the third act who received glowing feedback from the juries and he got 44 points as a result.
The round 2 looks like:
1. Dilara Kazımova – 46 points
1. Xana Hasanova – 46 points
3. Erkin Osmanlı – 44 points
Round 3
To make the show more exciting, the jurors marked their votes on anonymous cards for the last acts.
The first act of round three was performed by Xana Hasanova with yet another epic ballad. The jury said even if Xana wasn’t the winner tonight, she’d done herself proud.
Erkin Osmanli who was currently number three until the last round gave his all to obtain the most points he could at the end. He and his guitar were on the stage with the old sheets of music and keys were at hand. He gave his very best performance of the night in this final round with a pop ballad which attracted very positive comments from the jurors.
Dilara Kazımova was up in front of the juries to perform the closing act. She chose a ballad to end with backing from a female cellist, violinists and a pianist. She was told that she would be a great star in the future if she carries on this way.
The results
A five
member panel consisting of Eldar Gasımov (2011 Eurovision Song Contest winner), Murad Arif (TV host), Tunzala Agayeva
(composer and singer), Mubariz Tagiyev (singer) and Zumruz Dadashzade
(professor at Baku Music Academy) were decisive of Azeri
representative name who would be participating at the Eurovision Song Contest in Cophenagen this year.
The results of the final are:
3rd: Erkin Osmanlı – 122 points
2nd: Xana Hasanova – 129 points
1st: Dilara Kazımova – 136 points
With this result, Dilara Kazımova won the competition and earned the right of representing Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest this year in Copenhagen. The winning song will be presented at a later date.
Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest
Azerbaijan made its debut in 2008 and has sucessfully qualified to the
final in each year since then. They debuted with the epic number Day After Day performed by Elnur and Samir,
coming eighth. A futher third and fifth place were racked up before
they won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011, with a stunning
performance by Ell and Nikki performing Running Scared. Last year Farid Mammadov represented his country in Malmö where he finished ina respectable 2nd place with Hold Me.
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