Azerbaijan’s Eurovision 2009 singer: “I will do my best to precede Elnur & Samirâ€-INTERVIEW - PHOTOSESSION
- I took an interest in music from a childhood. I performed solo in Afsar Javanshirov’s chorus. I won my first prize with this chorus. Then I realized my dream to get musical education and I entered into the piano class of the musical school at 13 and successfully graduated from it. I traveled to the United States within a special program and performed in the chorus there and attended many competitions. I won three of those competitions. When I returned home I attended the “New Star†contest in Azerbaijan. Then I won the “Student’s Spring†contest, which led my way to Eurovision.
-Do you start preparations for the Eurovision?
-Song castings are going on and admission will last until February 1. We are waiting for selection of the Eurovision song. After that we will begin the preparations. But it doesn’t mean that I am not working now. I spent much time to choreography and vocal, and sport. I am working comprehensively.
-What genre is suite for your timbre?
-It is not known yet what genre I will perform in the contest. I would like to perform rhythmic and joyful song with Azerbaijani national elements.
-Do you feel readiness to take the Eurovision stage?
-Yes I am ready. I know I will work with a professional team. We will work with the Ukraine’s Euromedia as it was last year. We have already met with them. I was aware of interesting opinions of EuroMedia Company for performance during conversation. I hope that we will achieve what we want.
-What about your attitude towards clothes?
We will determine our clothes after choosing song. I will share my opinions with specialists to determine an image.
40 singers attended national competitions held for participation for Eurovision -2009 song contest. Juries chose you among 40 singers. How did you welcome it?
My intuition is very strong. I always feel my victory beforehand when I attend other contests. I felt that I would win the competition while attending it. My strong intuition has never confused me. I sang one of the tracks of Beyons during national competitions. Beyons is my idol. I like her dances in the stage. I have engaged in dances for a long time and I have learned not only foreign dances, but national Azerbaijani ones. Methinks, a singer should know all these factors.
-Do you believe in your strong intuition for the victory in Eurovision -2009 song contest?
I feel that everything will be right at present. I have information about all rivals. They are professional singers. I wish luck to all my rivals and think that Azerbaijan will move forward during Eurovision-2009 song contest. It is such contest that it is impossible to predict something .
-You expressed your confidence at a press conference that Azerbaijan would take first place this year? Are your sure?
I rely on myself. It does not mean that I am goopy. I simply believe in myself. The victory depends on God. I will do my best to represent Azerbaijan at a high level. I want it heartily.
-Whom do you see as the strongest rival? There is Turkey’s representative Hadise, Patricia Kaas may also be your rival…
-I am confident in myself. The participation of the above-mentioned singers encourages me to prepare for the contest better. I confide in myself and my team. Actually, each of them is my rival. Despite this I sincerely wish them success.
-Had you wished to participate in the Eurovision contest before?
-I always Eurovision, I like this contest very much. I even imagined myself on that stage and used to say that I would once represent Azerbaijan in that contest.
-Who was your favorite singer in Eurovision?
-There were many of them… Maria Sherifovich, who won in Eurovision in 2007, first representatives of Azerbaijan Elnur ands Samir, Ruslana, ABBA, Toto Cutugno, Celine Dion… But I do not want to look like anyone. I want to be Aysel.
-Did any of the singers wish you success after you were nominated?
-I received a lot of calls. Participants of “New star†phoned and congratulated me. Mubariz Tagiyev, Murad Dadashov expressed their support. Other singers did not phone, as I have no relations with them.
-Have you met with Elnur and Samir, representatives of Azerbaijan in the contest last year? Have you got their advice?
-No, I have not. I do not know Elnur and Samir personally, I only watched on television. Maybe we will meet in future. Elnur and Samir are very talented guys, and I believe that they deserved the first place. But I will do everything possible to improve from their performance.
-Imagine that you are in Moscow and hold press conference as the representative of Azerbaijan. How would you introduce Azerbaijan to foreign media?
-First of all I would say that Azerbaijan is an ancient country, give information about its history. I would say that Azerbaijan has everything. We have world-famous personalities in history and culture. I have much information about Azerbaijan and I will speak about it there.
-We hope that your character will not change after participating in Eurovision…
- I grew up in the family of intellectuals. My father is a journalist, for a long time he was the head of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Languages. Mom is PhD and she worked in the Slavic University. I am sure that my character will not change. I hope everything will be all right.
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