Eurovision fans upset that Turkey has pulled out of Eurovision need to get a satellite dish. That’s because Turkey’s state broadcaster TRT has officially launched Turkeyvision—a Eurasian singing contest that will bring together contestants from 20 countries and autonomous regions that are home to substantial Turkic minorities. That mouthful means that countries like Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Turkey will compete against powerhouses like the Republic of Tataristan in Russia and the Republic of Crimea, which is part of Ukraine.

Education Minister Nabi Avci officially launched the program on September 21 at a ceremony attended by Ell & Nikki. Nikki, you’ll remember, waved the Turkish flag on stage in 2011 after learning she had won Eurovision 2011. Turkic connections run deep, y’all.

According to the Dogan News Agency, the minister “stressed that the contest was not, as many suggested, an alternative to the European version organized since 1956.” Apparently they are just trying to create a cultural event that celebrates Turkic culture within the Turkic world. Fair enough! Germany’s Stefan Raab previously ripped off the Eurovision Song Contest format for the Bundesvision Song Contest which pits German states against other German states.

“Turkvision does not need to be compared to Eurovision,” Avci said. “It will have its place in the Turkic world with its own brand value. Whether we participate or not in Eurovision, I hope that Turkvision will move forward in its own path, growing and expanding year-by-year.”

The twenty participants will complete in semi-finals between December 19 and 21. Twelve of them will advance to a final on December 23.

The team at wiwibloggs.com wanted to get a flavor for what we might see this December, so we googled “pop star” and “Tartaristan”. Here’s what we got. Get ready people: It’s Superalisa!

You can keep up-to-date on the latest Eurovision news and gossip by following the team on Twitter @wiwibloggs and by liking our Facebook page.

Photo: Zimbio

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paco
paco
10 years ago

Tengo una propuesta interasante para Turkeyvision,como artista invitada que lleven a Kristia de finlandia 2013 para que les entretengan dandose very kissis con las presentadoras,las encargadas de las votaciones y hasta con la señora del presidente de este pais tan moderno y tolerante,seria interesante de ver y arrasarian en las audiencias.

Arianna
10 years ago

Tristan you’re not alone hahaa It has a groovy beat. I’m quite curious about this and am probs gonna check it out. Seems like a neat learning experience about those areas. Though, it does seem like an isolating decision, especially after the theme of “We Are One”. 🙁

@Jude That would seriously suck if things went that way. Eurovision would be destroyed D: & it would go against the conceived concept of uniting the continent.

TristanWhite
TristanWhite
10 years ago

So in what way is it going to be different to Türçe Vizyon, which this year celebrated its fourth anniversary, and is a celebration of Turkic music from 21 different countries or republics? http://www.trt.net.tr/turkcevizyon/Festivalhakkinda.aspx#tabs-2

Is December’s Turkvision going to be different to last week’s Türçe Vizyon then? I don’t understand!

Leon
Leon
10 years ago

It just so happens it’s called Turkeyvision and it follows the same format as Eurovision, but has nothing to do with it. These people need a little more intelligence to realize that the rest of the world is not stupid and they’re not clever. Anyway, glad Turkey is gone (hopefully for a long time, or until they realize how idiotic their new project sounds) and hopefully they will take Azerbaijan with them and Aliev can spend all the gas money on dominating Turkeyvision.

TristanWhite
TristanWhite
10 years ago

Am I the only one here who actually likes that Tatar song by Superalisa?

Regarding Turkey’s decision, don’t have a problem with it, per se. I was always bored of Turkey continuing to qualify year after year (bar once) with mediocre songs, and this sounds like a bit of fun. Hopefully we’ll all be able to watch it online somewhere, or on TRT International, so I’m not complaining. Get an extra music festival out of it.

Fikri
Fikri
10 years ago

turkey is slowly pulling itself away from the west and starting to engage more and more with its eastern neighbours. i think it’s a good thing. hopefully, this contest will expand to include arab nations too.

R
R
10 years ago

Poor Turkey. No one ever likes you anyways.

Wouldn’t it be great if Azerbaijan dominated Turkeyvision too. Ha.

Padraig Muldoon
Admin
10 years ago

Pity they couldn’t come up with a more original name. But everybody’s right this is just being petty. What would happen if every other country took this attitude? Scandivision, Celticvision, Balkanvision, Francovision, Germanicvision … Everyone could play at that game.

Nanda
10 years ago

WOW.
Talk about a sore loser.

Z24
Z24
10 years ago

This has NOTHING to do with their APPARENT angst at Eurovision AT ALL.

Gavin
Gavin
10 years ago

So Turkey did not qualifie one year… They pull out and set up their own ‘turkvision’. Wow… Soar losers! However if it takes the predictable voting and a few of the countries that have the predictable voting with them, this can only be a good thing.

It’s a shame to loose countries but maybe we need a bit of mixing up and excitement

takecare
takecare
10 years ago

pulling out for couple years than coming up with this….i see it as a betrayal, so from now on, bye bye turkey

EurovisionFanatic
EurovisionFanatic
10 years ago

I adore their entries, but this is pathetic. Are Turkey trying to create havoc in which they’ll receive, if they ever participate in the ESC again, no televotes.

Brendan
Brendan
10 years ago

Can’t see this going well

paco
paco
10 years ago

Valla con Turquia nos salio revelde,Lo lamento tanto por Katie Wilson ahora con quien te divertiras querida,bueno siempre podras meterte con los modelitos de las cantantes,no me lo tengas en cuenta podras ver a Kan Bono en turquiavision o pero que pena tan grande tengo en mi corazon.Turquia quedate comigo y devuelbe a nuestra Pastora Soler.SAYONARA BABY

Charles
Charles
10 years ago

Turkey can come up with all the “vision” crap they want … for as long as their terrible taste in music stays out of the true Eurovision I am more than glad. Their european “inferiority complex” is just ludacris.

Angus Quinn
Editor
10 years ago

Honestly this is so petty.