Little has been heard from Eurovision 2011 winners Azerbaijan, as they search for their act for Eurovision 2020. But now a rumour has emerged which suggests that Azeri singer Samira Efendi has been selected as Azerbaijan’s act for Rotterdam.

The news was first reported by the Turkish Eurovision Facebook page ESC Honey.

?? Hollandal? müzik yap?mc?lar? Azerbaycan'?n Eurovision 2020 ?ark?s?n? haz?rlamak için Bakü'de stüdyoya…

Posted by ESC Honey on Tuesday, February 25, 2020

The post includes a photo which shows the Dutch songwriters Tony Cornelissen and Luuk van Beers in a Baku recording studio with the Azeri musician Kenoud.

ESC Honey writes that the songwriters are working on Azerbaijan’s entry for Eurovision 2020, which will be performed by Samira Efendi.

Kenoud is known for playing the oud, a traditional guitar-like stringed instrument which was also used on Chingiz’ “Truth”.

Who is Samira Efendi?

Samira Efendi may be familiar to Eurovision fans as one of the five singers shortlisted as Azerbaijan’s act for Eurovision 2019. While Efendi missed out to Chingiz, it seems like she still made a good impression on the broadcaster.

In 2014, Efendi competed in Azerbaijan’s national final Böyük Səhnə. She made it to the third heat, where she was eliminated just before the grand final. But her three performances on the show proved Efendi is an experienced performer with a strong voice.

The following year, she competed on the first series of The Voice of Azerbaijan. Efendi impressed the judges with her audition of Whitney Houston’s “Listen”. All four judges turned, which led to a successful stint on the show. Efendi eventually finished in second place in the grand final.

In 2017, Efendi represented Azerbaijan in the Kazakhstan-hosted international music contest Silk Way Star. Over the weeks, Efendi delivered performances in a number of styles, including the jazzy “Sensiz”.

Most recently, Efendi has released the single “Yol Ayrici”. It’s a modern electronic pop track, where Efendi sings of being at the crossroads of a relationship, not knowing whether to give up on love. The song has traditional elements and Efendi shows off her rich vocal style as well. She also delivers a sultry rap, showing she’s truly a versatile performer.

But will we see her at Eurovision 2020? Azerbaijan’s broadcaster Ictimai Television has NOT made any comment on their selection for Rotterdam, and nor has Efendi herself said anything.

What do you think? Should Azerbaijan send Samira Efendi to Eurovision 2020? What sort of song should she sing? Tell us your thoughts below!

Read more Azerbaijan Eurovision 2020 news here

59 Comments
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Joseph Shaulov
Joseph Shaulov
4 years ago

Well Ireland gave us details

Hideo
Hideo
4 years ago

Happy to see this new!!! Hope so she will represent Azerbaijan 🙂 ?

just a man with a question
just a man with a question
4 years ago

IS it just me or are all the women hot in Azerbaijan .

Joseph Shaulov
Joseph Shaulov
4 years ago

Don’t worry it’s not just you

Gang
Gang
4 years ago

Yeah.? can’t wait to see this competition, Eurovision is a competition that gives to us emotions.

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

Whatever I say we all know that this is a nice song.No comment.? think that this song will be one of the most prefered song in this competition

Gang
Gang
4 years ago

But A???? you haven’t said sth about the song?!

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

?t’s my pleasure.

Gang
Gang
4 years ago

A???? thanks for the message that you give to us.

Gang
Gang
4 years ago

Nice song

Sokratis Lakrindis
Sokratis Lakrindis
4 years ago

Honestly Azerbaijan have made no errors when it comes to artists. They could send Chingiz every year and I’d be happy

Looking forward to the song

Greekzao
Greekzao
4 years ago

She is a mix of Safura and Samra I feel

Joseph Shaulov
Joseph Shaulov
4 years ago
Reply to  Greekzao

sssss

Vilius Hideo
Vilius Hideo
4 years ago
Reply to  Greekzao

She are Woman not such mix of someone else 🙂 Don’t understand mecwrong… I loved Safura and Samra too 🙂 Just Samira have hers own style and great beautiful Voice not for everyone’s taste ofcourse. 😉

Tom
Tom
4 years ago
Reply to  Greekzao

“Lets talk about Amir” .. 😀

Yerevan is calling
Yerevan is calling
4 years ago

Probably the best cover of Whitney Houston ‘s “I have nothing ” was Margarita Papoyan’s cover on Russian Voice. Hope she will represent Armenia with better song .
https://youtu.be/cQ8pZjeybvI
As for Samira…. Well Sweden always can get something making Eurovision fans faint . Let’s wait for the song.

Khazar
4 years ago

Your song is trash…even I cant listen…my gosh. Last place

Ron
Ron
4 years ago
Reply to  Khazar

Reading your comment suggests that you are accustomed to listening to trash…probably that’s all they make in Azerbaijan and that explains why Swedes, Greeks and now Dutch make your songs. But, I’m really sorry Athena’s song is so awful that’s even bad for your standards.

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

Why you dislike my opinion, because it’s real that we have something more important that is the fight with coronavirus,and I am saying be calm and don’t make panic, because if you make panic you’re just doing things more complicated.Be careful but don’t make panic.Love your life to love music.?n this situation I can say”? can’t think a life without music, and if people hadn’t exist, music also hadn’t exist. “We are people and we can pass all the challenges that the life brings to us”-this is the message that I want to give to all,even though maybe we all… Read more »

Talentina Monetta
Talentina Monetta
4 years ago

At least it’s not a Melfest reject

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

You know what people,for now, it’s not important who is gonna win this competition,but who is gonna win the fight with coronavirus.Believe that you’re strong people and pass these problems.Please God, bring sth good for all people in the world,no matter about “Where I am?”or”What is the colour of my skin?”, we are all people and I can’t see any difference between us. We are all the same.

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

You know what people,for now, it’s not important who is gonna win this competition,but who is gonna win the fight with coronavirus.Believe that you’re strong people and pass these problems.Please God, bring sth good for all people in the world,no matter about “Where I am?”or”What is the colour of my skin?”, we are all people and I can’t see any difference between us. We are all the same.

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

No panic about the challenges that the life make us to face with them.Sorry readers that I am going out of the theme,but I wanted to say something about the most important theme of these last days.about”coronavirus”, don’t make panic but be strong.

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

You know what people,for now, it’s not important who is gonna win this competition,but who is gonna win the fight with koronavirus.Believe that you’re strong people and pass these problems.Please God, bring sth good for all people in the world,no matter about “Where I am?”or”What is the colour of my skin?”, we are all people and I can’t see any difference between us. We are all the same.

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

You know what people,for now, it’s not important who is gonna win this competition,but who is gonna win the fight with koronavirus.Believe that you’re strong people and pass these problems.Please God, bring sth good for all people in the world,no matter about “Where I am?”or”What is the colour of my skin?”, we are all people and I can’t see any difference between us. We are all the same.

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

Albania number one

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

Good song but for me the best is Albania ???

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

All songs are worked in a professional way,but for me Albania is the winner for this year in Eurovision.

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

All songs are worked in a professional way,but for me Albania is the winner for this year in Eurovision.

Alllll
Alllll
4 years ago

Good song but for me the best is Albania ???

Yerevan is calling
Yerevan is calling
4 years ago
Reply to  Alllll

Haha

Lee
Lee
4 years ago

Listen was by Beyoncé…

Ma Ma Mia
Ma Ma Mia
4 years ago

Just found that song performed by Samra Efendi. It’s fabuluous!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lks0stosphY

Ma Ma Mia
Ma Ma Mia
4 years ago

Let’s see, but if Azerbaijan would send Samra Efendi, it will be succesfull year for them. Good luck

Heix
Heix
4 years ago

Azerbaijan makes the same every year. Why to choose something inovative, original, to make Eurovision more interesting. No, we have next young pop girl with song by international composers. You are so boring, Azerbaijan.

Rashad
Rashad
4 years ago
Reply to  Heix

Well, actually Azerbaijan doesn’t really send the same type of people every year. Azerbaijan has been pretty experimental with Dihaj, Elnur Huseynov’s Hour of the Wolf, Chingiz, and more.

Fatima
Fatima
4 years ago
Reply to  Rashad

Agreed except that Chingiz wasn’t so original. Mäns did the red heart projection thing in 2015 and Hayko has a low-tech version back in 2007.

Khazar
4 years ago
Reply to  Heix

You are wrong. Azerbaijan has always original stages and singers. You forget Dihaj, Elnur and Chingiz?!

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
4 years ago

I mean, it all comes down to the song doesn’t it?
Azerbaijan qualified with Samra, a not so great singer, but failed to qualify with Aisel, an excellent vocalist.

Obviously the songwriters weren’t going to come from Azerbaijan. They never are. Still, Sabina, Dilara, Aysel/Arash and Chingiz all worked “ethnic” elements into their songs really well. So, in that regards, it’s promising.

KESC
KESC
4 years ago
Reply to  Briekimchi

I wouldn’t really say that Aisel was an excellent vocalist. Yes, she is a strong vocalist, but her vocals sounded a bit off during her performance. One could see that X My Heart has never been her style. She sounded so much better when she sang songs in her own style.

As for Samra.. the studio version sounded much much better, however, I do think that she did pretty good at the grand final.

Ron
Ron
4 years ago
Reply to  KESC

Actually Aisel is probably one of the strongest vocalists Azerbaijan has sent. The issue with her was that she’s a jazz singer and they gave her a bubble-gum pop which did not work. It was truly a missed opportunity with Aisel.

Roy Moreno
Roy Moreno
4 years ago
Reply to  Briekimchi

Aisel got a song in a different genre than hers
Though both Samra and Aisel are good vocalists but they both got ruined by their backing singers

Rashad
Rashad
4 years ago

She was actually supposed to be selected last year. But Chingiz was mentioned on one of the gay celebrity websites, so I’m assuming the delegation decided to go with Chingiz since he was already a favorite by Eurofans. She’s been my favorite to represent Azerbaijan since the Voice. I’m glad she’s finally doing it. I would actually want her to sing in Azeri. She sounds so much better when she sings in Azeri. She has this rare traditional sound in her voice that is very calming. BTW, both of the songwriters are in Baku right now. Seems like the song… Read more »

Dawid
Dawid
4 years ago
Reply to  Rashad

That made me mad actually

Ron
Ron
4 years ago
Reply to  Dawid

I don’t know why you’re mad about it – Chingiz brought Azerbaijan back to the top 10 since 2013.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago

i think they have a few songs selected and they’ll choose last minute based on what other countries pick. so if the year is oversaturated with ballads, they’ll go for the uptempo song.

EuroSluuuuuutty
EuroSluuuuuutty
4 years ago

That’s not true as a lot of countries present the song with a music video, which takes weeks to prepare and shoot

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago

the average eurovision music video can be shot, edited and finalized in 3 days

Ashton Schier
Ashton Schier
4 years ago

as someone who has some experience with editing (not a professional but have done it a lot), that is so incredibly wrong

Nicolas
Nicolas
4 years ago

Unless you go with something very cheap and basic the shot itself requires at least 2 to 4 days and if you are planning with outdoors shots the weather conditions can be an issue and take it longer.

Fast Food Music Lover
Fast Food Music Lover
4 years ago

There is no real benefit of releasing songs entries early so broadcasters should take as much as time as they need to get the right song.

EuroSluuuuuutty
EuroSluuuuuutty
4 years ago

Aisel – X My Heart vibes…

KESC
KESC
4 years ago

And how did you come to that conclusion?

Erasmus
Erasmus
4 years ago

Well the fact that she doesn’t follow back these songwriters doesn’t tell nothing since she follows only 5 IG profiles.
Otherwise hope it’s her

Khazar
4 years ago

Omg. She is beautiful and has a great voice. Please send her Azerbaijan!

Fast Food Music Lover
Fast Food Music Lover
4 years ago

Let’s be real, that Whitney Houston cover is atrocious.

M_K
M_K
4 years ago

One of the reasons I don’t really follow talent shows anymore is that I’ve grown so tired of over-performed, yet underwhelming Whitney Houston covers.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
4 years ago
Reply to  M_K

Nobody can cover Whitney. You’re just setting yourself up to fail by even trying.

keith mawson
keith mawson
4 years ago

Want to hear the best whitney Cover,. Jesse J on Chinese show SINGER.