Azerbaijan’s Eurovision Gamble: Fewer Submissions but Rising National Talent – Will 2025 Be Their Year?

The Eurovision Song Contest has long been a stage for nations to showcase their musical talent, artistry, and at times, their most daring creativity. Azerbaijan, a nation known for its competitive spirit in the contest, has once again thrown its hat into the ring for Eurovision 2025, but with a twist this year: fewer submissions but a higher proportion of homegrown talent.
İctimai TV, Azerbaijan’s national broadcaster, recently revealed that 154 songs were submitted for consideration in the country’s internal selection process. This is a significant drop compared to the 214 submissions last year – a 60-song difference that may seem alarming to some. However, there’s a silver lining: a notable rise in the number of submissions from Azerbaijani songwriters and composers, which now stands at 49%, up from 43% in 2024.
This shift marks a growing trend towards embracing local talent, reflecting a broader cultural movement within Azerbaijan to promote and celebrate its own artistic voices on the global stage. Eurovision, after all, has often been a platform for the country’s finest musical exports, and this year’s submissions might just be the ticket to breaking their two-year streak of semi-final disappointments.
A Growing Desire for National Identity in Eurovision
The fact that nearly half of the submissions this year are from Azerbaijani songwriters signals a desire for more authentic, nationally rooted performances. After years of selecting international collaborations, it appears Azerbaijan is shifting focus towards developing its own unique Eurovision identity. Could 2025 be the year they finally marry international appeal with local authenticity?
Since 2015, Azerbaijan has opted for internal selection, avoiding public national finals. While this strategy has occasionally paid off, recent results suggest a need for change. Fahree and Ilkin Dovlatov, the representatives for Eurovision 2024, failed to qualify for the final, finishing 14th in Semi-Final One. Their song, Özünlə apar, garnered just 11 points, marking Azerbaijan’s second consecutive non-qualification – a sobering result for a country that won the contest in 2011 with Running Scared.
The Road to Basel
With submissions now under review, İctimai TV is expected to continue its tradition of internal selection. Though details of the process remain undisclosed, it’s likely that the broadcaster will closely scrutinize both vocal prowess and stage presence when narrowing down its choices. The aim is clear: to find a song that will resonate with the international Eurovision audience and allow Azerbaijan to return to its former glory in the competition.
One thing is certain – expectations are high, and the pressure is mounting. The rise in submissions from local composers hints at a renewed effort to capture the essence of Azerbaijan’s musical heritage while still appealing to Eurovision’s diverse and demanding fanbase.
Can Azerbaijan Bounce Back?
Despite the recent setbacks, Azerbaijan’s Eurovision journey is far from over. Eurovision has never been a predictable beast – what flops one year can soar the next, and vice versa. The drop in overall submissions might seem disheartening at first glance, but perhaps quality, rather than quantity, will be the key to success this time around. With nearly half of the submissions coming from Azerbaijani creators, it seems the country is betting on authenticity, passion, and national pride to propel them back into the final – and possibly even to the top of the leaderboard.
As the selection process moves forward, one thing is clear: Azerbaijan is hungry for redemption. And with Basel 2025 fast approaching, all eyes will be on which song and artist will carry the nation’s hopes onto that famous Eurovision stage. Will it be an unknown local gem or an established act? Only time will tell, but for now, Azerbaijan is gearing up for what could be its most crucial Eurovision decision in years.
Source: Ictimai