Credits
Written by
Published
Source(s)
News
© Euromedia
Debut country
Azerbaijan: “Eurovision Boom” in the Land of Fire
Azerbaijan’s bright debut at Eurosong generated a phenomenal public resonance in the country. The Land of Fire became one of two debutants of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest and the only newcomer to reach the final and end up in the top ten.
The Eurovision craze in the most eastern country of the contest began long before the “big night” in Belgrade. In fact, the Azerbaijani national final for the ESC, a fabulous television show titled “Land of Fire”, took place on 2 February and gathered a large amount of international Eurovision media to Baku. This spectacular 2-hour gala featuring several former Eurovision winners as well as 3 Azerbaijani finalists was broadcast live in a number of European countries and online on the official Eurovision website. “This was probably the most impressive national final that I have ever seen." – said Bjoern Erichsen, director of the EBU television department, who was an honorary guest at the event, - "Nobody can say when one or the other country will win, but it definitely looks like Baku would already be ready to host Eurovision today.”
The national final winners’ promotional tour took them to 12 European countries and culminated in two big open-air concerts in Istanbul and Belgrade itself at the walls of the ancient Kalemegdan fortress.
The Belgrade concert “Legends and Sensations of Eurovision” was a magnificent welcome and presentation party of the contest debutant Azerbaijan and brought together Eurovision stars Marija Serifovic, Zeljko Joksimovic, Ruslana, Dana International and the rising Eurovision sensation Elnur & Samir. It gathered more than 25 000 viewers under the open sky of Belgrade and is believed to be the biggest-ever Eurovision week promotional event done by any country delegation. The show was broadcast by the Eurovision host broadcaster of this year, Serbian RTS as well as by television channels in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and other European countries.
“We indeed invested a lot of effort and resources in the promotion of our contestants." – said Ismail Omarov, director of the Azerbaijani public broadcaster ITV, - "The debut of Azerbaijan in Eurovision is very important for us, therefore we did our best to represent our country in the best way possible. We are more than happy with the result. Elnur and Samir broke through to the final and their performance was spectacular, professional and will certainly be remembered by the European audience.”
“Of course, the place we got is not ideal." – Head of Azerbaijani delegation Adil Kerimli says - "One always has to strive to be the first. However, we don’t regret a single second of these difficult 6 months. This was a fantastic experience and a very bright time of our lives. We are sure that our country and Public TV channel as a contest broadcaster & participant will make good use of this experience.”
First Azerbaijani Eurovision entry that took the country to the final was a complex and engaging act “Day after Day”. Elnur demonstrated a very interesting vocal manner close to opera singing. Samir was increadibly artistic and finished the act by singing a part of Mugham, an ancient Azerbaijani vocal culture protected by UNESCO. The visual part of the act included a perfectly choreographed performance with the demon on the throne pouring wine on the dancers and, of course, the inevitable victory of angels in white in the end and a stunning pyrotechnical coda. Eurovision journalists called the act one of the brightest performances of this year’s Eurovision.
Related polls
- Should esctoday.com end coverage of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest?
- Who should replace Terry Wogan as UK commentator?
Go directly to the reactions
Recent news about Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan: “Eurovision Boom” in the Land of Fire 93
Azerbaijan: Technical problems for Elnur & Samir 73
Punters' predictions 30
Azerbaijan: "Legends and Sensations of Eurovision" 31
Day 5: Azerbaijan, Slovenia, Norway & Poland 59
Reactions
When reacting to a news item, please stick to the topic. Inappropriate messages (swearing, racism, hate, etc.), messages in other languages than English and spam (which includes URL advertising) will be deleted and you risk your account being removed. Reacting on newsitems is only possible when logged in as a member. Still don't have member account?
Click here to react Click here to become a member (free!)
@Rita Belindarian
Despite of it, You stain Christian`s name!
wow! you need some help, guys!
I'm not Christian. I'm atheist.
Peace, any way to you all ... in Azerbaijan, in Persia, in Deucheland... wherever you live 
to E R ,fu
Who has changed? If Pushkin has mistake, who was this GREAT person to correct this human problem?
You stain Christian`s name!
Nobody can say what mean Azerbaijan? Maybe Atropatakan, or Land of Fire. Meybe from 4 words Az, Er, Bay and Jan.
This is historical name. And there was first democratic republic country called Azerbaian in 28th May 1918.
Congratulations with an anniversary!!!
i am also very glad that Azerbaijan has given 0 points to armenia, otherwise it would be outrageous.
Numizzmat, no, don´t offend Russia by saying that armenia is its province. armenia is just a temporary outpost, used by Russia, but Russia doesnt really care about it.
At the end of the day, Russia has won Eurovision and I can´t wait to see Eurovision 2009 in my favorite city - in great MOSCOW!
Shut up, I have said!We discuss about our song!
- At first some armenians said that Samir and Elnur is not Azerbaijanians.They are tatars.
- After it I say that "You are poltroon, you are slave, you are armenian" with Pushin`s words.
- Now have you remember that you are Christians and all Cristians will answer for your sin? toady!!!
Europe will know your inside.
Not only diaspora, toady diaspora!
@E R,
Are you so smart? If yes go and try your knowledge in other places. Read all the material carefully and then make a desicion which side started to provoke first.
As for the "caucasian tatars", russians used this terminology after they nvaded our territories in 19-th century. We are azerbaijanies and our roots are both turcic oguz tribes and caucasian albanians.
Azerbaijan is not the actual name of the country, it changed a little bit since the time when it called definitely "the land of fire" in persian.
As for the Pushkin i don't support the people who wrote it even if i am azerbaijani too.
ill bred and ill educated lol
Pushkin's poem is called "Tazit" . Negative bloodthrsty Checnen character called Gasub is lashing out at his peaceloving son ( who was brought up in a nother village, apparantly by a decent family) for not killing Chriastians (Russian,Georgian,Armenian), for no capturing a slave and for "listening to nature"...For that he calls his decent son a slave, a coward and Christian...in later version "Christian "is changed to "Armenian"...Thus great Pushkin is praising Christian Armenians using his negative character....
Ad the word "Azerbaijan" does mean "land of fire" and "Azeri" means "fire" BUT in ... FARSI, Iraian language ...
In all Russian literature the nation is called "Tatars from Caucasus" and there was no coutry called Azerbaian to the north of Arax river until 1918....
Btw, if u r keen on literature I advice you to read Lermontov's "Geroi nashego vremeni" where positive character is calling "Tatar girls from Caucasus" easy to "buy" with piece of material for cloth...
So when you keep on unprovoked attacks on Armenians on all pages at least educate yourself ...but better discuss your song without talking about supposed "enemy occupants"...lol
Sergey Aleksandrovich Pushkin said that.
& the name of poet is Pushkin!
"You are poltroon, you are slave, you are armenian" - said the great Russian poet. That is the exact truth 
----------------------
Armenia is a province of Russia 
@ Rita
fully agreed!
@Rita,
What R U doing here? We discuss about Samir and Elnur`s song.
U say that they R tatarians, not Azeri. Shut up,plz!
Great debut, they put in alot of effort and deserved a great result, but the song and the performers . . . . . . . . . . oh dear
@Rita,
Azerbaijan is a land of fire. Azerbaijan has long been called "The Land of Fire" due to the phenomena of "burning hillsides" caused by gas seeping through fissures in the earth. A few references have been found in the ancient written documents that are housed in the Institute of Manuscripts in Baku.
The name of Azerbaijan derives from Atropates, a satrap of Persia under the Achaemenid empire, who was later reinstated as the satrap of Media under Alexander of Macedonia.The original etymology of this name is thought to have its roots in the ancient Zoroastrianism, namely, in Avestan Frawardin Yasht ("Hymn to the Guardian Angels" , there is a mentioning of: âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide, which literally translates from Old Persian as "we worship the Fravashi of the holy Atare-pata". Atropates ruled over the region of present-day Iranian Azerbaijan. The name "Atropates" itself is derived from Old Persian roots meaning "protected by fire".
As for the formation of azerbaijani nation. Yeah, we have the same roots with turkish people. But our etnos formed by significant influence of turcic oguz tribes over local caucasian albanians. As for the names, russians called us caucasian tatars because when they invaded in Caucasus in 19-th century, they saw the similarity between the language of tatars with azerbaijani (both are turcic languages, though in different groups of turcic languages). Anyway, the name doesn't mean anything, many nations changed their names during the history.
Now since the contest is over, I can finally say waht I think.
First of all congratulations to Azerbaijan for the debut in the ESC!
Cool to see a neighbour with whom we are in war to be competing in the Eurovision.
I really hope that year after year the Eurovision will bring us closer though we are so far from each other.
I never said that I liked the Azerbaijan's entry. I just said that it was a brave debut that's why I was going to vote. And probably I was among those people who vote in Armenia for Samir and Elnur.
When it comes to the song itself. I will never upload it on my mp3 player. This song sucks. Comme on people, you cannot be serious.
I liked the costume thing, the whole decoration set and the theatrical part, but when it comes to the song itself.
SOS!!! It's inaudible.
I agree with Tigran. During the whole pre-selection part, the azeri and turk supporters of Azerbaijan were spending their time to bash Armenia's entry instead of decently supporting their entry.
Bashing Armenia among the ESC fans in Azerbaijan and Turkey is becoming a national sport. Before we had only Turkey, now we're going to have Azerbaijan.
I read everywhere "Land of fire". Since when Azerbaijan is "Land of fire". I'm always amased how mythomanic Turks and Azeris can be. You invent your own history. Azerbaijan derives from a greek word "atropatena". Why on earth you invent rubish?
And those who are questioning if Azerbaijan is Europe?
Yes it is. Azerbaijan as a nation was formed during the Tsarist- later Soviet Russia, before they were known simply as Turks of Caucasus or Tatars of Caucasus.
Caucasus as a region was mostly included in Europe. Recently European Union included three Caucasian republics (Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan) in their "neighbourhood" programs and all three countries are full members of the Council of Europe.
I don't know if they are more Western than Turks, but they are heavily influenced by the Soviet-Russian culture as most of the ex-USSR countries.
Azerbaijan has lots of oil and European Union needs that oil. That's why the great welcome for Azerbaijan!
I think we can't avoid politics in the Eurovision. If we use politics than let's make it more constructive. Let's bring some positiveness.
I don't hate Azerbaijan. For me the danger is in every fanatic moron would he/she be from Armenia, Turkey, Azerbaijan or elsewhere. So let's make this contest at least a place for getting closer through songs.
Congrats Azerbaijan for your debut and good luck!
More Armenians here say that diaspora vote to Azerbaijan.
After it somebady say that Azerbaijan is not Europian country.
And where is our diaspora? Why Europe don`t know us. Shut up them. Only a little part of Turkey or Russia is in Europe.
Luis Braga, I C U R understanding at all. Let me know,
why do U think that a 13th place is great for "Senhora do Mar"
and "Peace will come","This is my life","Baila El Chiki Chiki","Romanca" good songs than "Senhora do Mar"
and "Day After Day". Why Ur people have vote to the bad songs?
tigran theGreat, Armenia gave 2 points to Azerbijan in semi 1,this is just shows that Day After Day was theGreat song.That`s why occupant enemies have vote for it.
Pau Pv, drop out Belarus from the SF1. Belarus was in the SF 2. So, Azerbaijan has really qualified with just a slight neighbourhood-support taking the 6th place.
Kostas, do our millions of euros get stuck in your throat? come on, if you were in the press center, you cannot deny an explicit boom and sympathies aroubnd Day after Day.
Will T, where are you? In Oceania? Check the European map, you dont know it.
Turkey became 7th with a very!average song in some poeoples'opinion.according to me it was needed between all those pops n ballads.i took a breath with a well performed rock.
so it's a matter of taste.many of these people are not directly deserved but it doesnt mean they r bad.
this is unfortunately what esc has become
guess all we can do is to cross our fingers for our favourites to enjoy the show 
Great debut....hope to see something similar spectacular from Azerbaijan in 2009 too .
almila@ I agree hopefully those and more other eastern countries enter )) it will be wow contest.
Excellent job, Azerbaijan! You sort of went unnoticed until the Final. I was floored after that performance. Very unexpected.
The list of 93 reactions is divided into 4 pages. Choose a page:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4
React yourself
This news article is older than one week. Reacting to articles is only possible in the first week after publication.
