Country Azerbaijan Selected entrant Dilara Kazimova | Selection process Böyük Səhnə Selected song "Start a Fire" | |
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Selection date(s) Supercasting:
27 January 2014
28 January 2014
29 January 2014
30 January 2014
31 January 2014
2 February 2014
Heats:
9 February 2014
16 February 2014
23 February 2014
Final:
2 March 2014
Song announcement:
16 March 2014 Selected songwriter(s) Stefan Örn
Johan Kronlund
Alessandra Günthardt | ||
Azerbaijan participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Azerbaijani entry was selected through Böyük Səhnə, organised by Azerbaijani broadcaster İctimai Television (İTV). Azerbaijan was represented by the song "Start a Fire", performed by Dilara Kazimova and written by Stefan Örn, Johan Kronlund and Alessandra Günthardt. The entry qualified from the first semi-final to compete in the final. Azerbaijan placed 22nd in the final, scoring 33 points.
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Böyük Səhnə
Böyük Səhnə (Big Stage) was an Azerbaijani talent show that selected Azerbaijan's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. The show was initially developed in 2013 by Azerbaijan's Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ukrainian production company Euromedia and aired as a talent casting on Azad Azerbaijan TV until it moved to İTV for its second season in 2014 for the purpose of selecting the Azerbaijani Eurovision entry. Several participants from the 2013 edition of the talent show, including the eventual 2013 Azerbaijani Eurovision contestant Farid Mammadov, participated in the 2013 Azerbaijani national final.
Format
The format of the show involved an audition period that occurred across Azerbaijan between 9 January 2014 and 16 January 2014. Select candidates proceeded to the supercasting shows which were broadcast between 27 January 2014 and 31 January 2014 and resulted in fourteen finalists advancing further. Three heats on 9, 16 and 23 February 2014 determined which contestants would enter the final on 2 March 2014. In the final, the winning artist was selected. Husniye Maharramova hosted the supercasting shows and was joined by Tural Assadov to host the heats and the final.
Auditions
Auditions were held across Azerbaijan between 9 January 2014 and 16 January 2014 where interested singers could apply for participation. 250 candidates attended the auditions. The audition schedule included the following eight cities:
Supercasting
The supercasting consisted of five shows that aired between 27 January 2014 and 31 January 2014, hosted by Husniye Maharramova. Contestants auditioned in front of a five-member jury panel. Each member of the jury panel assigned each contestant a score between 1 and 10. Contestants required a total score of 40 and above in order to proceed in the competition. The jury panel that assessed the contestants consisted of Gulchohra Shafieva (film director), Sevda Alekperzade (singer), Ilhama Gasimova (singer), Tunzala Gahraman (singer) and Saleh Bagirov (television presenter). At the conclusion of the five shows, fourteen finalists qualified to continue in the competition. An additional show on 2 February 2014 provided a recap of the fourteen qualifying contestants.
Heat 1
The first heat took place on 9 February 2014 in Baku. Fourteen candidates performed cover versions of various songs with each of the five jury members assigning them a score between 1 and 10. The jury panel consisted of Eldar Gasimov (singer and winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011), Murad Arif (television host), Tunzala Aghayeva (composer and singer), Mubariz Taghiyev (Azerbaijani honoured singer) and Zumruz Dadashzade (professor at the Baku Music Academy). Candidates who scored over 45 points automatically advanced to the next round while those who scored 45 and less were in danger of being eliminated. Four contestants were eliminated after jury deliberations.
Heat 2
The second heat took place on 16 February 2014 in Baku. Ten candidates performed cover versions of various songs with each of the five jury members assigning them a score between 1 and 10. The jury panel consisted of Sabina Babayeva (singer and 2012 Azerbaijani Eurovision entrant), Faiq Suceddinov (singer), Tunzala Aghayeva (composer and singer), Zumruz Dadashzade (professor at the Baku Music Academy) and Eldar Gasimov (singer and winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011). Candidates who scored over 45 points automatically advanced to the next round while those who scored 45 and less were in danger of being eliminated. Four contestants were eliminated after jury deliberations.
Heat 3
The third heat took place on 23 February 2014 in Baku. Six candidates performed cover versions of various songs with each of the five jury members assigning them a score between 1 and 10. The jury panel consisted of Tunzala Gahraman (singer), Zahra Badalbeyli (musician), Dimitris Kontopoulos (composer), Murad Dadashov (producer) and Fuad Aliyev. Candidates who scored over 45 points automatically advanced to the final while those who scored 45 and less were in danger of being eliminated. Three contestants were eliminated after jury deliberations.
Final
The final took place on 2 March 2014 in Baku. The three finalists performed two cover versions of different songs and one original song. The jury that evaluated the artists consisted of Eldar Gasimov (singer and winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011), Tunzala Agayeva (composer and singer), Murad Arif (composer and producer), Stefan Örn (composer) and Jamil Guliyev (İTV director). The winning artist was Dilara Kazimova.
Song announcement
The song that Dilara Kazimova performed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 was presented on 16 March 2014. The song, "Start a Fire", was internally selected by an expert jury. The song was composed by Stefan Örn (composer of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Azerbaijani contest entries), Alessandra Günthardt and Johan Kronlund (one of the composers of 2012 Azerbaijani entry).
At Eurovision
During the semi-final allocation draw on 20 January 2014 at the Copenhagen City Hall, Azerbaijan was drawn to compete in the first half of the first semi-final on 6 May 2014. In the first semi-final, the producers of the show decided that Azerbaijan would perform 8th, following Russia and preceding Ukraine. Azerbaijan qualified from the first semi-final and competed in the final on 10 May 2014. During the winner's press conference for the first semi-final qualifiers, Azerbaijan was allocated to compete in the first half of the final. In the final, the producers of the show decided that Azerbaijan would perform 3rd, following Belarus and preceding Iceland. Azerbaijan placed 22nd in the final, scoring 33 points.
On stage, Dilara Kazimova was joined by three backing vocalists: Jennie Jahn, Sofia Lindström and Lena Engman. The performance also featured aerial acrobat Matleena Laine performing on an 8-meter-high acrobatic trapeze. The staging of the performance was completed by Swedish director and dancer Asa Engman, in cooperation with Polish-Japanese choreographer Piotr Giro.
The Azerbaijani spokesperson revealing the result of the Azerbaijani vote in the final was 2012 Azerbaijani contest entrant Sabina Babayeva.
Split voting results
The following five members comprise the Azerbaijani jury:
Semi-final 1
The Azerbaijani votes in the first semi-final were based on 50% jury voting and 50% televoting results.
Final
The Azerbaijani votes in the grand final were based on 50% jury voting and 50% televoting results.