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Nigar Jamal

About Quick Facts NameNigar Aydın qızı Camal Born07 September 1980 Nationality🇦🇿 Azerbaijani National SelectionMilli Seçim Turu 2011 In Eurovision2011 Düsseldorf SongRunning Scared (with Ell, 2011) Biography Nigar “Nikki” Aydin qizi Jamal, born Nigar Mutallibzadeh on September 7, 1980, in Baku, is a celebrated Azerbaijani singer. Before embarking on her singing career, Jamal spent five years as a housewife. She attended Khazar University from 1997, studying economics and management for three years. Her journey in the Azerbaijani music scene began in December 2010 with her participation in Milli Seçim Turu 2011, the national selection for Eurovision. Jamal’s initial performance in Heat 7 led to a joint first-place finish and advancement to the semi-finals. Ultimately, she and Eldar Gasimov triumphed in the final on February 11, 2011, earning the privilege to represent Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Performing as Ell & Nikki, their song “Running Scared,” penned by international songwriters, secured victory with 221 points. Following their Eurovision win, Jamal and Gasimov toured various countries to perform their winning song. Azerbaijan honored their achievement by issuing 15,000 commemorative postage stamps. In September 2011, Jamal made a guest appearance in the Turkish comedy series Yahşi Cazibe. In 2012, Jamal was selected as one of the five Azerbaijani jury members for Denmark’s Eurovision contestant selection. On December 1, 2011, she debuted her post-Eurovision solo track “Crush on You,” along with its music video. Subsequent releases included collaborations with Miri Yusif on “Qal” (“Stay”) and Eurovision 2008 winner Dima Bilan on “Come Into My World.” August 11, 2012, marked the release of her debut album “Play With Me,” featuring work with Danish songwriter Boe Larsen. In early 2014, Jamal served as a judge on the Turkish edition of X Factor, where she played a pivotal role in producing the show’s winner. In 2015, she reached the no. 1 spot in the Turkish charts with the song “Broken dreams”. She teamed up with Berksan for the song “Herhalde”. A year later, she released the single “Çağıran da ürəkdi” and in 2017 she came up with “Sus”. In 2023, she recorded several songs with Ell. Entries Running Scared (Ell & Nikki) Country🇦🇿 Azerbaijan Year2011 LanguageEnglish LyricsSandra BjurmanStefan Örn MusicSandra BjurmanStefan ÖrnIain James Farquharson BackingsLisa StadellVera PradaJessica MarbergerÅsa Engman Results Semi Points: 122Position: 2Running order: 18 Results Finals Points: 221Position: 1Running order: 19 https://youtu.be/_0tlQUW5X0U?si=zWTMOFFGj20ZpRnk

Eldar Gasimov

About Quick Facts NameEldar Pərviz oğlu Qasımov Born04 June 1989 Nationality🇦🇿 Azerbaijani National SelectionMilli Seçim Turu 2011 In Eurovision2011 Düsseldorf SongRunning Scared (2011, & Nikki) Biography Eldar “Ell” Parviz oglu Gasimov, born on June 4, 1989, is a renowned Azerbaijani singer. Eldar Gasimov hails from a distinguished artistic lineage, being the great-grandson of celebrated Azerbaijani actors Abbas Mirza Sharifzadeh and Marziyya Davudova, and grandson of actress Firangiz Sharifova. His musical journey began in early childhood, leading to numerous performances across Azerbaijan and Russia. Between 2001 and 2005, he honed his skills in music and piano. Gasimov is an alumnus of Baku Slavic University, where he double-majored in international relations and regional geography. He pursued postgraduate studies in international relations at the same institution since 2010. Fluent in Russian and German, he also possesses proficiency in English. Gasimov’s Eurovision journey commenced with the Azerbaijani national selection, Milli Seçim Turu 2011. His initial performance in Heat 6 earned him second place, leading to the semi-finals and eventually the final on February 11, 2011. Teaming up with Nigar Jamal as Ell & Nikki, they represented Azerbaijan at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Their song “Running Scared,” composed by international artists, clinched victory with 221 points. Post-Eurovision, Gasimov, alongside Jamal, toured various countries to perform their winning song. Azerbaijan commemorated their victory with 15,000 postage stamps featuring the duo. In 2012, Gasimov was a jury member for Denmark’s selection of its Eurovision contestant. His first single post-Eurovision, “Birlikda nahayat” (“At last together”), was released in January 2012. Gasimov also co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku. July 17, 2012, marked the release of his acoustic single “I’m Free,” with its official video following in September. The track, a collaboration with Azerbaijani DJ/producer ALIGEE, was produced by Farid Mammadov and Ali Abasbeili. In the academic sphere, Gasimov joined Baku Slavic University as a lecturer in international relations in October 2012. Eldar released a lot of singles, in English, Azerbaijani and Russian. He teamed up with Nikki again in 2013 for the single “Music’s Still Alive”. In 2014 he recorded “Ice On Fire”, a duet with Zlata Ognevich. In 2015 he teamed up with Rustam for the song “Gülümse”. In 2019, Eldar expressed support for the LGBT community through a post on his personal Instagram account. In 2020, he and VoColor released the song “Until The end”. From 2021 to 2022, Gasimov was a coach on The Voice of Azerbaijan‘s second season. His protégé, Nadir Rustamli, won and represented Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, achieving 16th place. In 2023, he released a new single and video, “Break Free”, and recorded several songs with Nikki. Entries Running Scared (Ell & Nikki) Country🇦🇿 Azerbaijan Year2011 LanguageEnglish LyricsSandra BjurmanStefan Örn MusicSandra BjurmanStefan ÖrnIain James Farquharson BackingsLisa StadellVera PradaJessica MarbergerÅsa Engman Results Semi Points: 122Position: 2Running order: 18 Results Finals Points: 221Position: 1Running order: 19 https://youtu.be/_0tlQUW5X0U?si=7_mUm-omYWujabhE

Emmelie de Forest

About Quick Facts NameEmmelie Charlotte-Victoria De Forrest Born28 February 1993 Nationality🇩🇰 Danish National SelectionDansk Melodi Grand Prix 2013 In Eurovision2013 Malmö SongOnly Teardrops (2013) Biography Emmelie Charlotte-Victoria de Forest was born on 28 February 1993 in Randers, Denmark. Music ran in her veins; she claims descent from Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Her father is Swedish, and her mother is Danish. Emmelie began singing at a young age. At just 14, she began performing in local festivals, singing jazz classics from the 1930s and 1940s. This early exposure to music set the foundation for her future career. Emmelie de Forest’s big breakthrough came in 2013 when she represented Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest held in Malmö, Sweden. With her song “Only Teardrops,” she managed to captivate audiences and judges alike, leading to her winning the contest. The song went on to become a major hit not only in Denmark but also across Europe. Following her Eurovision win, Emmelie released her debut album, also titled “Only Teardrops,” which featured a collection of tracks showcasing her distinct vocal style. She went on tours, performed at various concerts, and became a well-recognized name in the European music scene. On 7 February 2014, Emmelie de Forest introduced her third single, “Rainmaker,” through a video upload. She delved into its significance, providing a sneak peek of the song. This tune became the official #JoinUs anthem for the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, and de Forest showcased it live during the event’s final in Copenhagen’s B&W Hallerne. She described “Rainmaker” as a song that encapsulates the unity of a tribe invoking the rain to rejuvenate their parched land. However, she expanded its meaning, suggesting that the rainmaker could symbolize anyone or anything – emphasizing collaboration and mutual aid. Reflecting on her post-Eurovision victory, de Forest exclaimed, “Touring Europe, dropping my first album, penning numerous songs – truly, I’m living the dream!” In a September 2014 discussion with Wiwibloggs, de Forest mentioned she was in the midst of recording her sophomore album, initially set for a February 2015 launch. By 14 July, “Rainmaker” had achieved Gold status. Then, on 3 August 2014, she shared on Facebook her plans to debut her upcoming album’s first single, “Drunk Tonight,” at the Amsterdam Pride 2014. Through Instagram, she revealed glimpses of the song and its upcoming music video. The single hit the shelves on 18 August, followed by its music video release on 25 August. Emphasizing the video’s aesthetic, in which she appears in a swimsuit, de Forest aimed for a blend of “elegance and allure.” Come December 2015, de Forest departed from Universal Music Group, subsequently partnering with Swedish entity, Cosmos Music. As a lyricist, she contributed to Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2016 with “Never Alone,” performed by Anja Nissen. However, its eligibility wavered as de Forest had showcased the song earlier. Yet, the European Broadcasting Union, responsible for Eurovision’s organization, greenlit it. The song contended in the 13 February 2016 final, securing a spot in the super final and finishing second. In the UK’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2017, de Forest returned as a songwriter, penning “Never Give Up on You” for Lucie Jones. This song clinched the top spot and later ranked 15th at the Eurovision in Kyiv. November 2017 saw de Forest releasing “Sanctuary,” marking her first venture after her Universal exit. February 9, 2018, witnessed the unveiling of her second album, “History.” Aligning with independent label Day In Day Out Records, under Cosmos Music’s umbrella, she launched “Typical Love Song” on 8 October 2021. In November of the same year, she played a role in the short film “Text Me When You Get Home” about the ordinary fear and paranoia of being a woman walking home alone. Entries Only Teardrops Country🇩🇰 Denmark Year2013 LanguageEnglish LyricsLise CabbleJulia Fabrin JacobsenThomas Stengaard MusicLise CabbleJulia Fabrin JacobsenThomas Stengaard BackingsAnne MurilloHeidi DegnAnders ØhrstrømMorten Specht Larsen (drums)Jacob Bagøe Thomsen (drums) Results Semi Points: 167Position: 1Running order: 5 Results Finals Points: 281Position: 1Running order: 18 https://youtu.be/QxVWcDevKLg