by Elmira Tariverdiyeva, Baku. Exclusively for VK
Baku has chosen a representative for the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. Sabina Babayeva will sing for the state at the prestigious song contest, according to the votes on Sunday. Performances of five singers who reached the national finals for the Eurovision Song Contest turned into a bright show, but Sabina Babayeva’s attendance was the most notable.
Selection of participants took 3 months. 119 people filed bids for the contest. Only 72 of them were allowed to go to the national vote.
Sabina Babayeva has a great responsibility, because the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Azerbaijan. She was a favourite from the very start and specialists believe that she is better prepared and is more skilled than other participants.
Sabina Babayeva was a soloist at the Veseliye Noty children’s chorus. She graduated from the Music College of Asaf Zeynally as a vocalist and won prestigious music awards: the Volna Award for the best performance of a foreign song in 1999, the Golden Hit ’99, a diploma for charity concerts for the International Day of Innocent Child Victims of Aggression and the 2000 UN International Year for World Culture, the first premium at the International Festival dedicated to the 55th anniversary of the end of WWII, the Zolotoy Kluch 2001, grand prix at the Amberstar 2009 of the international young people’s contest in Latvia and grand prix at the Slavic Star 2009 international young people’s contest.
Sabina Babayeva took part in national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest and has finally reached her goal. She admitted that she likes the vocal art of Afro-American singers, she loves the songs of Azerbaijani composer Vagif Gerayzade and idolizes Muslim Magomayev.
Azerbaijan won the right to host the European contest after winning at the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest in Dusseldorf. Baku will hold the semi-finals of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest on May 22 and 24, with the finals following on May 26 under the slogan “Light your fire”. The 57th contest will be held at Baku Crystal Hall, which is still under construction on State Flag Square. It may hold up to 23,000 spectators, 16,000 more will watch the songs live on big monitors.
