Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014
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. Background. Prior to the 2014 contest, Azerbaijan had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest six times since its first entry in 2008 . Azerbaijan has won the contest on one occasion in 2011 with the song "Running Scared" performed by Ell and Nikki. Since their debut in 2008, Azerbaijan has had a string of successful results, qualifying to the final and placing in the top ten each year until 2014, including a third-place result in 2009 with the song "Always" performed by AySel and Arash and a second-place result in 2013 with the song "Hold Me" performed by Farid Mammadov. The Azeri broadcaster for the 2014 Contest, who broadcast the event in Azerbaijan and organised the selection process for its entry , was İctimai Television (İTV). Azerbaijan had used various methods to select the Azeri entry in the past, including internal selections of both the artist and song, as well as national finals to select their artist followed by an internal selection to determine the song. Between 2009 and 2013, Azerbaijan organized a national final titled "Milli Seçim Turu", which would result in the selection of a winning performer that would subsequently be given an internally selected song to perform at Eurovision. In 2014, the broadcaster utilised an existing talent show format titled "Böyük Səhnə" to complete a similar process where the  winning artist would supplied with an internally selected song. The competition 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 for the purpose of selecting their 2014 entry. Before Eurovision. Section::::"Böyük Səhnə". "Böyük Səhnə (Big Stage)" was an Azerbaijani talent show organised by İTV that selected the Azerbaijani contestant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. The competition consisted of four shows that commenced on 9 February 2014 and concluded with a  winning artist on 2 March 2014. The four shows took place at the NTU studios in Kyiv, Ukraine and hosted by Husniye Maharramova and Tural Asadov. All shows were broadcast on İTV and streamed online via the broadcaster's website "itv.az". Format. The competition consisted of two stages. The first stage was the supercasting which involved an audition period where interested artists attended auditions that occurred across Azerbaijan between 9 and 16 January 2014. Fourteen contestants were selected and advanced to the second stage, the televised shows. Four shows including three elimination heats on 9, 16 and 23 February 2014  selected the contestants (who each performed cover versions of various songs) that would advance to the final on 2 March 2014. In the final, the winner was selected from the remaining contestants who each performed three songs: two cover versions of various songs and an original song. The results of all shows were determined by the votes of a five-member jury panel whose members varied in composition in each show. During the heats, each jury member assigned scores ranging from 1 (lowest score) to 10 (highest score) to each contestant and those receiving a total score of over 45  automatically advanced in the competition. The remaining contestants faced an additional jury deliberation which determined those that be eliminated from the competition. In the final, each jury member assigned scores ranging from 1 to 10 to each contestant following their performances of each song and the combination of votes selected the winner. Shows. Supercasting. İTV called for interested artists to apply for the competition by attending auditions held in the following eight cities across Azerbaijan between 9 and 16 January 2014: 250 artists attended the auditions and performed in front of a five-member jury panel consisting of Gulchohra Shafieva  (film director), Sevda Alekbarzadeh (singer), Ilhama Gasimova (singer), Tunzala Gahraman (singer) and Saleh Bagirov (television presenter). Each jury member assigned scores ranging from 1 to 10 to each artist. Five shows covering the auditions were aired between 27 and 31 January 2014, hosted by Husniye Maharramova. 80 artists received a total score of 40 or above and were shortlisted. On 31 January 2014, İTV announced the fourteen contestants ultimately selected for the competition. An additional show took place on 2 February which the fourteen contestants were presented with a recap. Heat 1. The first heat took place on 9 February  2014 where the fourteen contestants performed cover versions of various songs. The five-member jury panel consisted of Eldar Gasimov (singer and winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011), Murad Arif (songwriter and television host), Tunzala Aghayeva (singer and composer), Mubariz Taghiyev (Azerbaijani honoured singer) and Zumruz Dadashzade (professor at the Baku Music Academy). Six of the contestants received a total score of over 45 and automatically advanced to the second heat, while the jury eliminated four of the remaining eight contestants from the competition. Heat 2. The second heat took place on 16 February 2014 where the remaining ten  contestants performed cover versions of various songs. The five-member jury panel consisted of Sabina Babayeva (singer and 2012 Azerbaijani Eurovision entrant), Faiq Suceddinov (singer), Tunzala Aghayeva (singer and composer), Zumruz Dadashzade (professor at the Baku Music Academy) and Eldar Gasimov (singer and winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011). Five of the contestants received a total score of over 45 and automatically advanced to the third heat, while the jury eliminated four of the remaining five contestants from the competition. Heat 3. The third heat took place on 23 February 2014 where the remaining six contestants performed cover versions  of various songs. The five-member jury panel consisted of Tunzala Gahraman (singer), Zahra Badalbeyli (musician), Dimitris Kontopoulos (Greek composer), Murad Dadashov (producer) and Fuad Aliyev (director). Two of the contestants received a total score of over 45 and automatically advanced to the final, while the jury eliminated the three of the remaining four contestants from the competition. Final. The final aired on 2 March 2014 where the remaining three contestants performed three songs: two cover versions of various songs and an original song. The show was filmed on 28 February 2014. The five-member jury panel consisted of Eldar  Gasimov (singer and winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011), Tunzala Agayeva (composer and singer), Murad Arif (songwriter and television host), Stefan Örn (Swedish composer) and Jamil Guliyev (İTV director). Dilara Kazimova was selected by the jury as the winner. Song selection. On 16 March 2014, İTV announced that Dilara Kazimova would be performing the song "Start a Fire", written by Stefan Örn, Alessandra Günthardt and Johan Kronlund. "Start a Fire" was selected from submissions from local and international songwriters based on the decision of İTV and a national jury panel. The song was presented on the same day via  the release of the official music video. The melody features the traditional Azeri musical instrument balaban (also shown in the video clip). In regards to the song, Kazimova stated: "'Start a Fire' is the best choice for me. The melody is kind of hypnotizing and the story is deep and touching. It's a bit tragic but with hope. I'm very much into the song and want to make my audiences feel its deep meaning." On 16 April 2014, the song was performed by Kazimova for the first time in Azeri, under the name "Bir qığılcım", and Turkish, under  the name "Alev Gibi". 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. Voting. Detailed voting results. The following members comprised the Azerbaijani jury: