The
Eurovision Song Contest is a chance for many countries to show to the rest of
Europe what they are all about through the songs and the performances
surrounding. Often, countries carefully plan out their performance to showcase
their culture. For example, countries will purposely choose specific colors,
images, and effects to display on LED screens, if there are any. Countries also
might use props that may or may not resemble cultural items or use specific
camera angles. Azerbaijan is no different. Despite the messy identity of
Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan still uses various aspects of their culture to craft
unique performances that show what Azerbaijan is. In this blog post, I will be
analyzing Azerbaijan’s performances in 2009 and 2010.
In 2009,
Azerbaijan was represented by “Always” (2009) performed by AySel and Arash and
its performance was mainly dominated by the bright colors shown on the screens
and clothing. For example, a yellow-orange color is prominent throughout the
entire performance except for the break before the third chorus. Yellow and
orange of often used to represent happiness, energy, and joy (Wróblewska, 2016)
the widespread use of the color may attempt to energize the audience and
emphasize the upbeat nature of the song. The prominence of this yellow-orange
could also represent the joy of two lovers when they are together. This is
because the song has lyrics like “I believe I’m addicted to you,” “Finally I
have found you and now I will never let you go,” and “Always on my mind, always
in my heart” (AySel & Arash, 2009, Azerbaijan). The repetition of these
lyrics further suggest that the song is an intense love song. The yellow-orange
color could also reference flames of fire, the national symbol of Azerbaijan.
The flames of fire are also represented with literal flames that are frequently
blasted upwards on the stage throughout the song.
The
performance often refers to different aspects of Azerbaijani culture. For
instance, the lights and the screens turn blue during the break between the
second and third chorus. Blue is a national color of Azerbaijan and on the national
flag, the blue stands for the Turkic heritage of the people (Republic of
Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture). Therefore, the blue may represent either
Azerbaijan as a whole, or its Turkic origin. While the screens turn blue during
the break, Arash (2009, Azerbaijan) plays a tar, a traditional Azerbaijani
musical instrument that resembles a guitar. The inclusion of the tar refers to
Mugham, traditional Azerbaijani music, and it can be heard throughout the song.
In addition to the tar, Mugham also features opera-like singing, which Arash
does in the beginning of the song. According to the United Nations Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Mugham reflects Azerbaijan’s
history and its contacts with different people groups (UNESCO), so the
reference to Mugham may be interpreted as a look into Azerbaijan’s past. In
addition, according to Naroditskaya (2005), Mugham is often mixed with other
genres of music (p. 48). So, the inclusion of Mugham-style instruments and
sounds alongside modern-sounding, pop instruments could be interpreted as also
highlighting the cultural diversity of Azerbaijan. Also, Mugham is commonly
used for weddings (Naroditskaya, 2005, p. 48), so the use of Mugham also
continues the narrative of two lovers longing for each other. With the
inclusion of the tar, pyrotechnics, and the use of blue and yellow-orange, “Always”
appears to be a giant showcase of what makes Azerbaijan stand out.
Safura
represented Azerbaijan in 2010 with the song “Drip Drop.” The lyrics “Can I
love you forever through this? Can I trust in you forever through this?” and “I
don’t wanna cry, I don’t wanna hear your name” along with the slow pace suggest
that this is a song about heartbreak, which is very typical in pop songs (Chalkley,
2017). In addition, the lyrics “Tell me where have you been? Why are you late?
You smell like lipstick again” further suggest that the song is more about the
singer catching their significant other with someone else and the pain that
goes along with it. In addition, the song itself is moderately slow and sounds
like a mix between a ballad and a pop song, which enforces the sad narrative of
the song.
In the
performance, Safura, the backing singers, and the stage lighting are blue.
Previously in “Always,” the blue could be interpreted as the Turkic heritage of
Azerbaijan because of the upbeat nature of the song. However, in “Drip Drop,”
the song is slow, and the lyrics are about the singer catching their lover
cheating with someone else. In this case, in addition to the blue representing
Azerbaijan as a whole, the blue may also represent sadness. The underlying tone
of sadness is further shown through Safura’s facial expressions. Throughout the
entire performance, Safura does not smile, but instead appears either
straight-faced, upset, or sad. Also, in the beginning, there is a man who holds
Safura’s hand down the stairs, but once she reaches the bottom of the stairs,
the man disappears until after the chorus where Safura sings “Tell me where
have you been?” when the man starts dancing. The man also looks sad, as if
there is something holding him down, and while he does dance with Safura, he
appears reluctant to be near her. Meanwhile, Safura appears to look at the man
aggressively, as if she found out what the man has been hiding from her. This
could further be interpreted as the man still having feelings for the singer
and regretting his mistake but will not be forgiven because of the pain he
caused to the singer.
“Drip
Drop” uses simple, subtle effects to make an impactful performance. At the
start of the performance, Safura starts at the top of a staircase, and as she
climbs down, step she steps on glows bright blue. This could be interpreted as the
singer starting her fall into sadness, since the staircase is only used at the
beginning of the song. Also, Safura’s dress has lights embedded in it and
emulates a glimmering effect. As the song progresses, the lights get brighter
and the lights fade in and out faster. This may be done to further emphasize
the climax of the song. Unlike “Always” which uses bright colors, pyrotechnics,
and genre mixing, “Drip Drop” stands out in its narrative and simple effects.
Azerbaijan
appears to welcome and promote diversity. This is because both the songs
performed in 2009 and 2010, were written and composed by various Swedish
musicians. In the case with “Always” (2009, Azerbaijan), AySel and Arash who
found success outside Azerbaijan, and Arash is not from Azerbaijan at all, but was
instead born in Iran and moved to Sweden (European Broadcasting Union). In
addition, the half-Greek half-Swedish Alex Papaconstantinou, who has composed for
Jennifer Lopez and Nicki Minaj, played a part in composition alongside other
Swedish artists like Robert Uhlmann and Erin Wrethov (European Broadcasting
Union). Likewise, “Drop Drop” (2010, Azerbaijan) was also written by Swedish
musicians like Anders Bagge, Stefan Örn, and Sandra Bjurman (European
Broadcasting Union). In addition, the songs themselves sounded like modern pop
songs and the clothes worn resemble traditional Azerbaijani outfits and look
like a modern adaptation of the traditional clothes. The use of modern pop
music as the base genre, genre mixing with mugham, and modernized versions of
traditional clothes reflects Azerbaijan’s desire for modernization and
progress, which is a core value represented on the national flag (Republic of
Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture). The cultural diversity of the musicians and
the use of pop and modernized clothes demonstrate Azerbaijan’s tolerance and
hospitality towards other cultures as it strives to connect with the rest of
Europe through modernization and progress.
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Word count: 1280
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