Earlier this month, Azerbaijan‘s broadcaster Ictimai TV opened submissions to find a song for Efendi to perform at Eurovision 2021. Now the broadcaster has extended the deadline, saying that song submissions will now close on 1 February.
The broadcaster announced the new deadline with a post on social media. They wrote:
There is a chance to represent Azerbaijan on the Eurovision stage!
We want to win with you.
Send the song to [email protected] and take part in the contest.
Until February 1!
"Avroviziya" s?hn?sind? Az?rbaycan? t?msil etm?k ?ans?n var!
S?ninl? birlikd? qalib olmaq ist?yirik.
Mahn?n? [email protected] elektron ünvan?na gönd?r v? müsabiq?d? i?tirak et. Fevral?n 1-d?k! pic.twitter.com/yycQbLo7j6— Ictimai TV (@TvIctimai) January 22, 2021
Azeri Eurovision website 12xal reports that the broadcaster has extended the deadline at the request of songwriters. With the original submission period running for only 12 days, the new deadline will give a little more time to those who need it.
Azerbaijan’s Head of Delegation Isa Malikov also told 12xal that around 150 songs had already been submitted.
Once the new deadline has passed, the submissions will be shortlisted into a group that will face a final round. A special focus group made up of music experts and fans will assess the shortlisted songs and determine the song Efenfi will take to Rotterdam.
Azerbaijan isn’t the first country to extend the deadline for song submissions for its returning artist. Last year Israel’s broadcaster extended the deadline to find a song for Eden Alene, after only 70 submissions had been received.
Efendi’s journey to Eurovision 2021
Samira Efendi has long been on many fans’ wishlists to represent Azerbaijan at Eurovision. She was reportedly one of the shortlisted acts in 2019, and was finally given the ticket to Eurovision in 2020.
After much hype and speculation, Efendi’s song for Eurovision 2020 was confirmed as “Cleopatra”. The song came with a bold music video, which promises an equally thrilling live performance at Eurovision.
However, little over one week after “Cleopatra” was released, the EBU announced that, sadly, Eurovision 2020 would not go ahead.
But Ictimai TV didn’t want to let go of their diva. Just two days after the cancellation, Efendi confirmed that she would be back at Eurovision 2021.
What do you think? Should Efenfi perform another song like “Cleopatra”? Or should she go in a different direction? Tell us your thoughts below!
Another ethno-pop banger, please. TQ.
never a good sign when they do this. yikes.
Not expecting much from here tbh..
How do you judge the quality of the songs when you haven’t even heard them?
Btw, what do you mean by “different performer”? We know since March that Efendi will represent her nation.
Less opportunistic people willing to work with the regime then? Grand!
I hope it’s indeed because of the writers and not because the songs they received so far haven’t been good enough..
Probably the most problematic contestant this year ughh. If you know you know, i—
Why problematic?
Because she is representing Azerbaijan, which is, apparently, considered a problem.
They did the same with Eden Alene, we all know what it meant and we saw the results. I’m not very confident for Efendi, but I hope to be proven wrong even if for me, It will be hard (to not say impossible) to top “Cleopatra”.