Azerbaijan: "Mata Hari" Efendi's song for Eurovision 2021

Azerbaijan:
Sunday, 14 March 2021

  • Azerbaijan's Eurovision 2021 representative , Efendi, will be singing "Mata Hari" in Rotterdam next May. 

    As INFE Azerbaijan reports, the song that Azerbaijan's ESC 2021 hopeful will be performing on Rotterdam Ahoy's stage next May is titled "Mata Hari".

    Soon after the ESC 2020 cancellation due to the covid-19 pandemic, the Land of Fire , decided to reinvite last year's hopefu, Efendi,  to Rotterdam 2021. The Azeri national broadacaster, Ictimai TV,  launched a song selection process, during which it received a total of 229 compositions from local and foreign authors were sent in during the submission period of the song selection.

     According to the selection process, the song would be selected  based on the votes of an international focus group of more than 50 Eurovision experts from different countries. A total of six entries were shortlisted among which four uptempo songs and two ballads. The candidate songs for Efendi were: 

    1. Mata Hari (up-tempo)
    2. Ratata (up-tempo)
    3. When I’m gone (ballad)
    4. Manifesto (up-tempo)
    5. Breathing You (ballad)
    6. Owe You Pretty (up-tempo)

     

    Eventually Mata Hari has been selected as Efendi's Eurovision 2021 entry with the song along with its music video set to  be officially released on March 15 . Until that moment you can take a look at the teaser released on the official ESC Youtube channel. 

    Efendi is set to compete in the second half of the 1st semi final show on May 18, 2021.

     

    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.

     

    News Source: INFE Azerbaijan