Azerbaijan: ITV selects Nadir Rustamli for Eurovision 2022

Azerbaijan: ITV selects Nadir Rustamli for Eurovision 2022
Wednesday, 16 February 2022

  • Azerbaijan's national broadcaster, ITV, has confirmed Nadir Rustemli as the country's hopeful for Eurovision 2022 in Turin, Italy. 

    Ictimai Tv confirmed this morning during the “Good Morning, Azerbaijan” show that Nadir Rustemli will represent the Land of Fire at the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contst in Turin this May. Nadir is the seventh act in a row selected internally for Eurovision. 

    A total of 300 songs have been submitted after  ITV's open calls for songs. Six of them will be shorlisted in order for a jury panel to select the final song that Nadir will be performing in Turin representing Azerbaijan. 

    Azerbaijani Head of Delication, Isa Melikov,  stated: 

    As always, we try to look for beautiful and professional songs regardless of genre. By being loyal to ourselves, in the choice of songs, we will first of all focus on how much it will be compatible with the voice and performance of its artist. The selection process will end in the second week of March and the song will be announced.

     

    A few words for Nadir

    Nadir is an Azerbaijani singer,  born on July 8, 1999 in the city ​​of Salyan , Azerbaijan . From 2005 to 2016 , he studied at the secondary school No. 3 in the Salyan region. In 2016 , he was admitted to the Azerbaijan University of Tourism and Management and in 2021 he graduated from that university. He started playing music as a child.

    During his school years , he studied piano and solfeggio at the Gulu Asgarov Music School for 7 years. In 2017, Student Spring participated in the National Song Festival and won second place. In 2019, he participated in the same competition again and won the competition. In 2019, he represented Azerbaijan at the Youthvision International Song Contest, winning second place among 21 countries. 

    In 2021 , he participated in the 'Voice of Azerbaijan' project broadcast on the Public TV channel of Azerbaijan. In the first round, he sang "Writing'S on the wall" and two judges turned to Nadir Rustamli. He chose to compete in the team of Eldar Gasimov, Azerbaijan's Eurovision 2011 winner with Elle. Then, in the next stage, he sang "Beggin" together with Amir Pashayev Eldar Gasimov chose between Nadir and Amir and kept Nadir Rustamli in his team. Nadir Rustamli qualified for the next stage by singing "Khatiradir" in the 1/8 final. In the finale, "This is the end,"He sang "Running Scared" with Eldar Gasimov . In the final, 1 out of 4 participants would be the winner of the project by SMS voting. Nadir won the project with a rate of 42.6%

     

    Azerbaijan in Eurovision

    The Land of fire debuted in the contest in 2008 and since then they have been present in every single edition of it, counting a totla of 13 participation.  In 2011 The duo Eldar & Nikki gave the country its one and only victory with their entry Running scared, leading the Eurovision event next year in the capital city of Baku. 

    In 2018 Azerbaijan was represented by Aisel and her entry X my heart, despite a dynamic performance she failed to qualify to the Grand Final. In 2019 Azerbaijan chose Chingiz through an internal selection to represent the country in Tel Aviv with his entry 'Truth', which finished 8th in the Grand final scoreboard.

    While Efendi's Eurovision 2020 journey was interrupted due to the coronavirus outbreak and never had the chance to perform 'Cleopatra' in Rotterdam, iTV decide to stick with the same act this year, giving her the chance to complete her mission in ESC 2021.

    Efendi flew to Rotterdam where she competed in the first semi final performing 'Mata Hari' and after qualifying to the Grand final she finished 20th with 65 points. 

     

    News Source: Eurovoix/ 12 Xal / Eurovision World