17-year-old Safura will represent Azerbaijan in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest in Olso in May. She gained the right to sing for her country after victory over fellow finalists Milk & Kisses and Maryam in Tuesday's Azerbaijani national final. Safura is no stranger to winning music competitions having previously tasted victory in the Azerbaijani version of the Pop Idol talent show Yene Ulduz.
The song that Safura will perform in the Eurovision Song Contest has yet to be decided. During the national final she performed Drip drop, written by Stefan Örn and Sandra Bjurman, Under my skin, written by Stefan Örn and Sandra Bjurman and Soulless, written by Anders Lundström. A final decision will be made by a professional jury very shortly on whether to send one of these songs to the Eurovision Song Contest or if Safura will be provided with a new song. It is expected that this decision will be made on 19th March.
Hear Safura's recording of Souless and Drip drop below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nupxbPCLPzU
See Safura's live performance of Drip drop below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBvatb543XQ
See Safura's live performance of Under my skin below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYP4ipPEmJk
See Safura's live performance of Soulless below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPO31Zt_7_k
Safura was born September 20th 1992 and comes from a family of creative people. Her father is a painter and her mother is a pianist and a fashion designer. Safura has also shown interest in fashion, designing her stage outfits from an early age. Safura started singing at the age of three and had her first stage experience at six. Since then she has tried her luck with different competitions, finally winning the Azerbaijan edition of Pop Idol, Yene ulduz. She has graduated from music school, where she played the violin, even if she always dreamed to play the saxophone! Now Safura will be fully dedicated to work for her participation at the Eurovision Song Contest, and according to her official biography she is ready to share her deep youthful emotions to the millions of people around Europe.
Safura is now reported to go to Ukraine and Sweden to finalise her Eurovision song. Azerbaijani news agency APA reports that a new version of her song and a video will be shot in Ukraine, as well as the staging of her performance of the song. Safura will then fly to Sweden for further preparations, like her stage outfits.
In 2009, Azerbaijan was represented by Aysel & Arash, who finished second in the second semi-final and third in the grand final with their song Always. In 2010, the country will compete in the second semi- final of the Eurovision Song Contest on 27th May.