iTV has made an open call for songs for Efendi to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam.
The Azerbaijani public broadcaster Ictimai TV has this evening opened its submissions window for Eurovision 2021. The broadcaster is looking for songs for Efendi to perform for Azerbaijan in Rotterdam, with the submissions window open until January 19. Those wishing to submit a song can email song@eurovision.az.
2021-ci ildə "Avroviziya" səhnəsində Azərbaycanı təmsil edəcək mahnının müəllifi bəlkə elə sənsən?
Yanvarın 19-na kimi song@eurovision.az elektron ünvanında mahnını gözləyirik.
Əmin ol ki, Samirə Əfəndi onu möhtəşəm ifa edəcək.
Qoy bütün dünya sənin mahnını eşitsin! pic.twitter.com/hvudUCslDt— Ictimai TV (@TvIctimai) January 7, 2021
Efendi will be representing Azerbaijan at the 2021 contest having first been selected in 2020. The singer was internally selected by the Ictimai, the Azeri national broadcaster, out of five artists last year.
Who is Efendi?
She has previous experience competing on behalf of Azerbaijan, having participated in Silk Way Star which was broadcast across Central Asia, Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Efendi also placed 3rd in The Voice of Azerbaijan, and most recently represented her country at the Voice of Nur-Sultan International Festival in Kazakhstan.
She was due to compete with the song “Cleopatra” which was tipped to do well at the contest last may before it was cancelled.
Azerbaijan debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2008, they were represented by Elnur & Samir with the song “Day After Day”, they finished 8th in the final. In 2011 Azerbaijan won the Eurovision Song Contest represented by Ell & Nikki and their song “Running Scared”. The song scored a total of 221 points, receiving only three sets of 12 points from Malta, Russia and Turkey. In 2018 Azerbaijan failed to qualify for the final for the first time, having previously had a 100% qualification record.